Ranma is Legend
by Dreamingfox
Summary: Ranma deals with things that go beyond martial arts. Watch him become a Legend. Ranma x I Am Legend x Love Hina x Ai Yori Aoshi x Street Fighter series x Negima.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes –

Yes, something strange, even for me. I don't own anything, much less anything that Will Smith would work on or for. I Am Legend and Ranma ½ are both quality works, and I am simply borrowing ideas and concepts from both for this work of entertainment.

Please read and Review.

Oh, and if anyone wants to beta for this fic, let me know.

*****

It'd been a long time since his old man had proven to be such a challenge – then gain, he was bigger and stronger while in his cursed form. Though he couldn't punch, the old man could claw and bite (if he wanted to) and the larger form also allowed him to absorb more damage as well as keep Ranma from knocking him around, especially if Ranma was sparring as a girl.

"You didn't have to shred my gi," the currently redheaded Ranma shouted as she ripped off the remains of her clothes. Not even bothering to read the panda's sign she grabbed it and whacked her old man over the head. "Just shut up!"

"I'll get some hot water for both of you," the always sweet Kasumi casually said as she set the table. "Breakfast should be ready in a few more minutes."

"That's aright," Ranma shouted as she dashed up the stairs to her room, ignoring the fact that she was completely naked. "I'll just take a quick dip in the bath since I have to change anyways."

"Ranma!" an irritated voice shouted at the redhead. "You pervert! Put some clothes on!"

The sight of an angry Akane quickly stopped the short redhead in her tracks. "Just because I've actually got curves doesn't mean I have to hid them," Ranma shot back, jumping up over Akane's mysterious mallet. "Besides, we're in the house – what's wrong with me getting rid of my wet, ripped up gi?"

"Pervert!" Akane shouted as she ignored Ranma's argument.

"Knock it off you two," Nabiki shouted as she tried to focus on the morning news.

"Manhattan has been placed under quarantine," the raven haired news woman stated.

"That won't be enough," the bi-speckled man stated. Dr. Aki Toshi appeared under the white lab coat wearing man, identifying him to the viewers. "The virus has already mutated beyond what the American scientists anticipated. Apparently there are two different strains, both of which affect humans, though only the direct contact strain affects other animals."

"Whacha watching?" Ranma asked. Shirtless and now back in his true male form, it was clear that he was beginning to fill out.

Nabiki blinked as she noticed how nicely Ranma was starting to look. Momentarily dazed, she quickly recovered.

"It looks like Biohazard," Akane said as she knelt by the table. "A virus mutating humans – it's probably a bogus news broadcast to hype up their newest game."

"I know that Dr. Tofu was talking about some Western scientists that had claimed to find a cure for cancer," Kasumi interjected as she set down a bowl of rice.

"That would definitely make the news," the middle Tendo daughter stated. "If they had created the cure then they'd be rich."

"Always thinking about money," Ranma snorted as he sat next to his old man. "But Dr. Tofu was telling me about it yesterday."

"You stopped by Dr. Tofu's yesterday?" Akane asked skeptically.

"Yeah," the pigtailed martial artist replied. "After you broke your mallet over my head I needed to see Dr. Tofu."

"Well you shouldn't have been picking on Ryoga!" the short tempered girl snapped back.

Lost in the chaos that was a morning at the Tendo's, Nabiki quietly watched the news broadcast.

* * * * *

"To the left!" a raven haired girl shouted.

The buxom and drunk woman on the couch slowly pointed her gun up to the left, shooting the undead monster in the face. "Head shot!"

"That's so disgusting!" the younger girl muttered. "Why can't I use a katana?"

"This is a shooting game Motoko," the drunken young woman replied. "But its funny how I've managed to do so much better then you."

"I'm not used to these damned guns!" Motoko shouted as she missed an approaching zombie. Three red slashes appeared on her side of the screen. "Argh!! One more hit and I'm dead."

"We haven't even made it to the fence yet!"

"Well I don't sit here and play this everyday like you Kitsune!"

"I don't play this every day," Kitsune replied. "I'm usually drunk by now."

The bokken wielding Motoko sighed as she was hit by another zombie, leaving Kitsune to handle the horde of killer zombies herself.

"If you hadn't run out of booze I'm sure you'd be bothering Su," Motoko muttered. "That's probably why she set up this game system for you."

The busty Kitsune chuckled. "Probably," she admitted as she blasted another zombie's head off. "If I were any drunker I'd probably think this was real. The graphics are state of the art."

"It does help that the TV's the size of the wall," the kendo girl added. Standing up she shook her head. "I have to study for my exams; try to keep it down."

As the game loaded the next screen Kitsune grabbed the remote, turning up the volume on the TV. "What?" she shouted, teasing her companion.

Up in her room Su worked at a furious pace. Due to the noise in her workshop the dark skinned foreigner wore wireless headphones as she listened to the news broadcast while she worked.

"The United States' Government has declared a state of emergency," a clearly stressed announcer said. "It appears that the airborne strain of the virus is just as effective as the blood borne strain, though only humans are affected by the airborne strain. Thus far all the cases of mutations in dogs, cats, and rats are from animals that were exposed to tainted blood. Despite the best efforts of the American Government the disease has spread beyond the quarantine zone of Manhattan.

"I repeat; the entire east coast of the United States of America is under a state of emergency. Government officials are advising that all residents stock up on filtered air masks and to stay indoors."

Su wiped the sweat off her brow. Clearly things were getting out of hand. Picking up the remote she turned to another channel (the pirated cable was ever so useful and entertaining).

"Reports of the mutated victims of the virus are growing," a male anchor stated as a map of the eastern coast of the Americas appeared behind him. "There is word that several 'Darkseekers' as they have been dubbed, have been sighted as far south as North Caroline, but those reports are unconfirmed. There are several documented cases of the virus reaching as far west as Detroit, Michigan and even the Canadian government has documented cases of the virus despite closing the boarder with the United States."

The mad scientist maintained her composure as she placed the circuit board into her invention. Even she had to admit that the dramatic turn of events in America were beyond anything she had expected.

With everything in place she turned on the machine. Smiling as the lights lit up and the gigantic mecha-Tama mark 5 hummed to life, she hoped that the machine would be enough.

Cracking her neck she once again grabbed the remote, turning to the weather channel. Studying the weather patterns she listened absentmindedly to the commentator.

"With the jet-stream directly over New York blowing to the south east over the Atlantic boats have been advised to return to port," the anchor woman stated. "Speculation that many of the outbreaks of the virus along the Eastern Coast are due to the multitude of boats traveling up and down the coast away from New York has lead many port cities to close their docks.

"Meanwhile, Portugal, Spain, and Morocco have each taken precautionary steps by purchasing and distributing air filters. With the jet-stream moving south east then curving back up to the north east the airborne virus shouldn't cross the Atlantic until early next week."

Click.

"…Darkseekers as the victims of the virus have been dubbed, are much stronger and tougher then unaffected humans," a voice narrated. "See how this infected individual is able to leap over this four meter chain-link fence and how this one just runs through it?"

Click.

"…they have a much faster metabolism which probably is the source of their increased strength and stamina, but makes them all the more vicious as they are constantly hungry," another voice explained. "Notice how they glow brightly under the heat sensors?"

Click.

"Even this six inch steel door is helpless against the furious onslaught of Darkseekers," the voice narrated.

Su blinked. Looking up at her newest creation she hoped that it would be enough. Still, with a few more months at least she'd have more time to improve it, or at least to make more.

* * * * *

It didn't take long for Ranma and the rest of Japan and the world to realize just how real the treat of the mutant virus was. Even before it crossed the Atlantic Darkseekers had appeared in South America. More and more appearances of Darkseekers throughout the world quickly fed the hysteria and panic as refugees from one region helped to spread the virus. It didn't take long for the island nation to begin to deport foreigners, especially those without the proper paperwork like Shampoo, Cologne, and Mousse.

"This is kinda like the whole SARs bit," Ranma stated as he eyed the masks that more than a handful of his classmates had taken to wearing.

"That was in China," Akane corrected. With the stores having run out of face masks the government had begun advising those without masks to use bras and tightly wrapped bandana/handkerchiefs. Having no handkerchiefs, the youngest Tendo had taken to cutting up some of her bras instead of rushing to the stores and waiting for the hot selling face masks. Happosai had of course complained of the viciousness of the women defending their bras given the new shortage of bras, though he still managed to make off with lots of panties.

"Yeah," the pigtailed martial artist replied. "And there have been Darkstalkers sighted in Japan either."

"It's Darkseekers moron," an increasingly testy Akane corrected.

"I know," Ranma replied as he leapt onto a fence. "I was just playing with you."

With a sigh the martial artist looked back at the empty school grounds. With the hysteria of the mutant virus going around everyone had taken to rushing home after school as students and their families sought not only to limit their contact with others but to prepare their households for the approaching disease.

Rumor had it that several wealthy families had begun the secret construction of underground facilities. Though the Kuno family was indeed wealthy, Ranma wasn't sure if the three psychopaths could handle living in close quarters as they had shown extreme reluctance to do anything other than fight against each other. And despite the size of their residence the Tendo family was far from rich (not with all the damages that they had to constantly repair. Still, it didn't stop the others in the neighborhood from requesting to be sheltered in the Tendo's secret facility.

"Ranma, wait up!" Akane shouted.

Lost in his thoughts Ranma had nearly forgotten his un-cute fiancée. One of the few who dared to not wear a mask in public the pigtailed martial artists watched as Akane fought for breath under what had once been her push up bra. Clearly it had not been designed to allow for actual breathing as the heavy padding appeared to obstruct the free movement of air through the thick fabric.

"I'm gonna head over to Dr. Tofu's," the pigtailed boy stated. "He said he's been busy with all the random inoculations and shots that everyone seems to be taking to avoid getting infected."

Akane nodded as she pressed the... mask to her face. Ranma couldn't help but snicker as he mentally replaced the violent girl with the old letch. It was definitely something that Happosai would do, but so see Akane doing it…

"What are you snickering about?" the volatile girl asked.

"Just thinking of the hard time Happosai's had lately," Ranma lied. "At least I don't have to beat him up anymore since those women have been dishing it out a lot worse lately."

Reluctantly Akane nodded as she caught up with him. Seeing that she had caught her breath Ranma set off for Dr. Tofu's clinic with Akane in tow.

* * * * *

Su was starving. After a week of hiding out in the various hidden passages beneath the Hinata Sou in her attempt to avoid being deported, the mad scientist of the girls' dorm had avoided sneaking into the kitchen. Instead she relied on what little she had stored away – jerky, dehydrated food, canned food – but no bananas. Only the dried banana chips and banana bread that she had hidden had provided her with any valuable nutrition, and even then only barely. Desperate to feed herself, the genius princess snuck into the kitchen.

From the kitchen drawer she could tell that someone was in the kitchen. Carefully listening she could hear the TV as a news flash updated the viewers of the situation with the spread of the mutant virus.

"- reports from Cairo, Egypt where several Darkseekers were killed by the Nile Crocodiles," the anchor woman read. "Authorities are trying to capture the infected crocodiles to see if the virus affects reptiles. No known cases of the mutation have been confirmed in birds, amphibians, or reptiles as of yet.

"Meanwhile, Australian authorities continue to refuse any and all fights and ships from foreign nations. Closing their boarders the island nation has adopted an approach similar to Madagascar, England, and Japan."

Slowly, cautiously, the blonde foreigner popped her head out of the drawer.

"Su!" a familiar voice shouted, spotting the elusive girl's head.

"Motoko!" the smaller girl exclaimed in her quietest voice possible (which wasn't very quiet).

The kendo girl quickly grabbed the nearby bowl of fruit and dumped it onto the smaller girl. "Go, they're still looking for you."

Lost in the barrage of fruit the blond nodded. With the fresh fruit in hand, Su quickly retreated to her hidden lair. Her mouth full of banana the mad scientist resumed her work on the large portable air filtration system she'd use for her new invention.

Back in the kitchen Motoko finished preparing the fruit salad, ignoring the uniformed officials that were continuing to look for the elusive princess.

"Reports from South America are grim," the anchorman added as the broadcast cut to him. "Jaguars, coyotes, and feral dogs have helped spread the blood borne strain of the virus much faster than anyone expected. Darkseekers have rampaged through much of Brazil, killing and devouring entire herds of cattle and even wiping out small villages. Reports of their brutal attacks have spread like wildfire."

Click.

"-wouldn't have happened if the Americans had set up a proper fenced border with Mexico and Canada," the balding Hispanic commentator stated. "The U.S. has shared the largest unguarded boarders with both of its neighbors for the longest time which had made the spread of the disease much harder to contain."

"Isn't that unfair?" a dark skinned woman with a clear English accent asked. "Who has benefited the most from the U.S.'s lax boarder control in the past? Mexico, that's who; it was because of those lax boarders that illegal aliens were able to enter the United States from their southern border as they sought a better life. But now that things are going the other way you're blaming the Americans for the boarder problem?"

Click.

Unable to listen to any more grim news or listening to various officials blaming each other for the spread of the mutant virus, the kendo girl turned off the TV. This was definitely not the way she had wanted to spend New Year's Eve.

* * * * *

After another week of helping out at Dr. Tofu's clinic Ranma couldn't help but notice the unease that permeated the air around him. No longer were there fights at school over fiancées (though Kuno had tried to kidnap Akane), though there were plenty of fights over food. With Japan's renewed isolation and reluctance to accept any foreign ships it didn't take long before luxuries like fresh fruits and vegetables to run low. Even the fishermen failed to bring in large hauls as they now contended with the foreign ships that often took to attacking the fishing ships as they sought to replenish their own dwindling food reserves.

Despite the chill mid-winter air Ranma wore only a light spring/fall jacket over his usual attire of red silk shirt and black pants. It was odd, but the clinic was strangely silent. Given the large crowds that had gathered at the clinic over the past few weeks hoping to be inoculated or immunized so as not to become infected with the mutant virus, there were few people at the clinic.

Casually but cautiously wandering in Ranma strained his ears as he hoped to hear something, anything that would explain the noticeable absence of people around the clinic. Hearing nothing he cautiously opened the door and was greeted with the sight of the good doctor sitting alone at his desk watching the news.

"Hi Ranma," Dr. Tofu greeted in a very subdued voice.

"Yo doc," Ranma returned. Something was clearly wrong. "What's wrong?"

"America and Canada have been overrun," the solemn bi-speckled man replied.

Ranma was stunned. Though he'd never gone to North America he'd always assumed that the large countries of Canada and the United States were, well, unbeatable. Sure, they might lose at sports, but their military might was supposed to be, well, like up there. They were one of the world's superpowers. It was one thing for Mexico and Cuba to fall (they weren't even part of the G-8, whatever that was), but for the Americans to fall… it was mind boggling.

"The Prime Minister has set up armed guards outside of all the U.S. military bases," Dr. Tofu explained. "With no country supporting them the remnants of their military could do anything."

Ranma nodded. He didn't even realize that he'd sat down until the news broadcasts cut into live footage of the remnants of the American forces shooting at hordes of Darkseekers as they over ran the masked soldiers and their blazing guns. Though clearly bi-pedal the transformed humans were much more ferocious and powerful than the normal human soldiers fighting them.

For the first time Ranma realized just how bad things were.

"It's like they've all endured the Breaking Point training," a new voice stated.

Startled by the new presence, Ranma looked up at his long-time rival and friend as the bandana wearing boy set his large pack down. The thought of an army of Ryoga's charging at the JDF flashed through the pigtailed boy's mind. Sure, there would be losses, but the army of Ryoga's would cut through the soldiers easily.

"Yeah," Ranma finally said, realizing just how parched his throat was. "They're strong, tough, and about as tough as you, but they can't use any techniques. Look at how they're just rushing in and mauling things."

Ryoga nodded. "No style or technique," he admitted. "You or I could beat one, maybe even two or three at a time, but even we can't hold up against that many of them."

The heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts reluctantly agreed. Even he couldn't deal with that many Darkseekers. It wasn't like fighting the local toughs or punks, or even against the other members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew; the Darkseekers were just brutal and savage, and they could take a beating.

"I couldn't fight them," Dr. Tofu muttered. "Regardless of what they may look like, or what they're capable of, they're still people. I'd just run."

Both Ranma and Ryoga looked at the knowledgeable man before them. Maybe it was the long hours spent tending to the needs of the many clients and patients, or maybe he was just that much older than them, but for once Dr. Tofu looked old.

"What would you do if that was Akane?" Dr. Tofu asked. "Or if it was your mother? Could you kill them?"

Both boys swallowed as they followed the doctor's logic. Despite the many times they'd supposedly called out for each other's head, neither had ever gone in with killer intent. Sure, they'd fought their share of bears and boars which had come at them with killer intent, but never anything like what they were looking at.

"Not that it matters," the wiry looking man added. "Once the airborne strain reaches Japan pretty much everyone is going to become a Darkseeker. The masks most people are wearing won't last long. You'd have to have a completely isolated bio-sphere with filtered air, which means a generator and enough fuel to run it indefinitely. Even the best built filtering systems need regular maintenance, but with all the Darkseekers that would be around I doubt that you could properly maintain one."

The two young martial artists slumped against the wall. With their lives having been dedicated to the martial arts neither had really ever thought about how their skill and strength could be applied or used outside of fighting. Sure, it had given them a code of conduct and honor that they loosely followed, but what good would it be against a virus that mutated everyone? Their speed and power wouldn't be able to save anyone unless you counted killing those who had mutated.

"So what do we do?" Ryoga asked. Ever the valiant warrior fighting against his depression and misfortune, the bandana wearing boy rarely ever gave up. "What can we do? I refuse to give up so easily!"

Fueled by his rival's fighting spirit, Ranma stood up. "Kuno's building an underground shelter. If we can limit the use of filters now and save them up for later I'm sure that we could survive. We'd just need someone skilled enough to occasionally venture out during the day to maintain the equipment. We don't have to fight the Darkseekers during the day because they can't stand sunlight, so we just have to stay holed up at night."

Ryoga nodded. "We build a shelter that even we can't break into!"

"Yeah!" Ranma shouted. "We can do that. We've still got a few weeks, maybe even a month or two before anything gets to Japan."

Encouraged and undeterred, the boys set off to help the psychotic Kuno family build their shelter.

In a district not too far from Nerima, a particular insightful girl had already laid the foundation to her shelter. The solar and geo-thermal powered generators stood, hidden by the ruins of the Annex as they directed power to the heavily fortified laboratory and shelter. Having changed out all the light bulbs in the underground tunnels and in the entire Hinata Sou with strong UV lights the scientist was sure that her defenses would deter any dark seekers from entering her home and refuge.

With the authorities no longer concerned about her (given the number of incidents throughout Japan with foreigners and in particular the remnants of the U.S. military and their bases) Su was once again able to show her face in the Hinata Sou without fear of attracting any authorities.

Her only remaining concerns were with the supply of food and the untested filtration system. Thus far it managed to keep out smells, bacteria and fungus, but without an airborne virus to actually test it against she wasn't sure if it would perform once the time came to put it into use. Food would be harder to acquire as everyone at the Hinata Sou had large appetites, not to mention their varying tastes in food (though all the girls had the same taste in men). Fresh food was definitely out due to the short supply of anything fresh and canned food… well, there was only so much she could take. Once spring came around they could plant some more fruits and vegetables, but meats and protein would be harder to find.

Writing out her list of things that they would need, Su decided to recheck everything again. It couldn't hurt to be too prepared after all.

*****

A/N

Expect the first few chapters to be set up chapters. Not a lot of humor, lots of suspense and don't expect everyone to survive unharmed. This fic is going to be different from what I've written before, so don't expect the same things as with Ranma's White Wings and One Half Tenjou, One Half Tenge.

Please Read and Review. Oh, and if anyone wants to beta, mostly to keep me in check and to help with my poor grammar, then please contact me.

Dreamingfox


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes -

This is a work of complete fiction borrowing ideas, characters, and concepts from Ranma ½ and I am Legend intended for the entertainment and enjoyment of me the writer and those few readers who are reading this.

I'm looking for a beta for this, if anyone is interested let me know.

*****

The cold winter breeze greeted Ranma as he left the warmth and comfort of the house. Though all of the Tendos (and their guests) had moved into the Kuno compound they couldn't take everything with them. As the most versatile and fastest person it fell on the pigtailed boy to return to the now vacant house to make sure that no one was looting their house or to get them things that they had forgotten to bring with them.

With a large pack of cloths slung over his shoulder, Ranma adjusted his mask. Casually glancing at the list of things that Nabiki and Kasumi had given him, the pigtailed boy sighed. _ How could I not notice that they had this much stuff? I've been living with them for how long? Man, I'm just glad that all my stuff was still packed up._

The cursed martial artist continued to grumble as he trekked to Dr. Tofu's abandon clinic for more medical books. Hopefully the looting hadn't gotten that far yet. It was fair to say that the local police were not equipped to deal with the many powerful martial artists (and their squabbles) but hopefully they could handle some riots and looters.

From what he could see it was clear that Nerima was no longer the same carefree district. No longer were there fences that he could casually hop on top of to work on his balance. Instead the fences were taller and topped with razor wire if they weren't carrying a high voltage charge. Thicker and stronger, and occasionally electrified, the fences were not just about keeping the privacy of the inhabitants; they were designed to keep people out. No longer could Ranma or other members of the Nerima Wrecking crew capable of roof jumping as many residents had taken to the idea that if Ranma or anyone else could get over/around/through the fences/barriers then Darkseekers could too.

The sight of several houses wrapped in plastic or with several generators, and the crowds of masked people running from house to house as they searched for vacant and abandoned houses to loot spurred the young fighter on. Relieved that the clinic was still standing (though the front gates and wall around the property had apparently weathered its share of abuse) Ranma dropped down off of the telephone pole and over the wall. Few could climb the telephone pole without assistance as he had, and few would dare to jump from that height, though there were signs that someone had tried to throw a rope or something over the live wires connecting the telephone pole to the clinic.

Quickly gathering the books that Kasumi and Dr. Tofu had requested, the cursed martial artist set off to return to the Kuno's fortified compound. With only a few hours before sunset there would still be a lot of work that they needed to do before dark.

Even as highly trained and dangerous as he could be, or perhaps because of it, Ranma chose to avoid the crowds. Though he knew he could handle himself, the pigtailed martial artist knew that running into a crowd would probably result in a fight either because they wanted what he had or because they just didn't care anymore. The delays would be bad enough, but the possibility that he lost anything or was even scratched by someone in the early stages of infection were enough to keep him from seeking out any crowds.

Reaching the Kuno family estates he quickly made his way up the telephone pole. Using the same trick that he'd used to access the clinic, Ranma managed to get over the pair of electrical fences and the tall wall beyond.

"Ranma!" Ukyo shouted as she rushed towards the cursed martial artist. "Konatsu is getting worse!"

The pigtailed boy nodded. Konatsu, the cross-dressing ninja servant/waiter, had spent the last few weeks incapacitated. Like many others who had failed to properly protect themselves from the airborne strain of the mutated measles virus, Konatsu had been infected with that strain. Fortunately the transformation was slow, taking weeks rather than days. Still, that meant that there wasn't much time before the ninja have to be put into the pit.

Not wanting to put one of their own (though in truth, the ninja was one of the newest members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew) into the pit, Ranma knew that soon they wouldn't have any choice. The ten meter structure in the middle of the Kuno family estate/compound had been constructed through the repeated use of Ryoga's Shishi Hokoden and was lined with an electrified fence and a moat the kept the few Darkseekers that they had captured inside. Thus far it had only been a few neighbors who had succumb to the airborne strain. But the numbers were quickly growing. With the shoddy and incomplete improvements to the Kuno estate it wouldn't take long for them to fill the pit.

The nightly attacks on the compound had started a week ago, though it had been two weeks since the first fully transformed Darkseekers were seen entering the district. Since then the nightly screams and raids of other compounds and houses could be heard regularly. Like a pack of feral beasts the Darkseekers had started ransacking several smaller compounds and houses, the screams of their victims wearing away at the tense nerves of those that heard them. Though the power company managed to maintain their generators and still supplied power and electricity to the district more and more houses were going dark as the Darkseekers claimed more houses each night.

Konatsu had been the first to become infected. It had happened innocently enough as the cross dressing ninja had taken his mask off to smell the herbs that he had gathered. That was reminder enough of the importance of the masks. After that no one dared to take their mask off.

"Take these to Kasumi," Ranma finally said as he caught his breath. Handing the bundle to Ukyo he turned to Tatewaki as the tall older boy approached him.

"My dear psychotic sister and the insane man who claims to be my father seem to have fallen victim to your vicious magics as well," Kuno stated as he put his hand on his bokken. "If not for you she would have been fine, him, I could care less about. But I shall avenge-"

The crazed kendo captain never finished his monologue as a bandana wearing figure emerged from behind him and slowly lowered the now unconscious figure to the ground.

"Feh, what a wind bag!" Ryoga exclaimed as he let Sasuke take Tatewaki away.

"You know, you look like you're one of the old letch's students when you wear your bandana that way," Ranma stated as he stood up and greeted his oldest rival and friend.

"At least I'm not wearing a bra on my face!" the bandana wearing youth shot back.

Once their casual sniping would have set off a destructive battle, the two martial artists could now joke with each other despite the tense situation around them, leaving those around them very grateful for the lack of fighting. Patting each other on the shoulder the two examined the compound in the waning light of the day.

Akane nodded as Ranma greeted her. Though she had wanted to get out of the compound, she reluctantly accepted that Ranma was better at running away from fights then she was. It wouldn't do to have her go out just to get into fights with the remaining neighbors over supplies and risk injuring herself or getting infected.

"Speaking of bras - that's where Happosai snuck in," Ryoga pointed to the small hole in the ground. "I guess he managed to dig a hole under the fences and wall. "I've already filled it with cement, but that may not be enough."

"We should have a spotlight or two focused on it so that any Darkseekers who do follow the old letch will think twice about using that route," Ranma added. "We should probably take the lights out of the smaller unused buildings so that we have enough for the areas that need those lights."

Ryoga nodded, "We'll still be short, but if we can just maintain the spotlights we should be able to protect the weak areas of the fence."

"We'll need more fuel for the generators," Akane finally chimed in. "We probably have enough for a day or two, but no more than that."

Ranma nodded. "We'll have to wait until tomorrow. I'll go to the gas station once it's light out again. Just tell the old men to turn off the TV."

"But we can't!" Akane protested. "That's the only source of news that we have. How are we going to know if the situation changes or not if we don't have the TV?"

Ranma and Ryoga exchanged a knowing look. Though it was true that the TV could provide them with some news, both fighters knew that most of the others simply used it to watch DVD's as most television stations had stopped broadcasting once the riots had claimed Tokyo. Undeterred the others still maintained their hope that the government would soon get a firm handle on the situation.

"We're probably going to have more luck using the radio," Ryoga suggested. "It uses less power and we've got plenty of them."

Ranma waited for Akane to agree before nodding at the suggestion. Somehow Ryoga's ideas always sounded better to the hotheaded tomboy.

"Fine, I'll tell daddy and Uncle Saotome to stop watching TV and to start listening to the radio," Akane relented. "But we've got to do something about Konatsu and Kodachi."

The pigtailed boy nodded. "We'll talk with the old men once we finish repairing the damaged from last night."

Clearly upset at being dismissed, Akane smacked Ranma hard. "You jerk!" she shouted before stomping off.

Ranma quickly checked his mask before standing up. By the time he had righted himself Akane's retreating form could be seen entering the main house of the compound. "What'd I do this time?"

The bandana wearing boy shrugged as he offered his hand.

Waving it off, Ranma quickly flipped to his feet.

* * * * *

The beautiful pink sakura blossoms danced on the gentle breeze. The warm spring day would normally have been the perfect day for the residents of the Hinata Sou to hold their annual blossom festival. But the crowd in front of the all girls dormitory was not there for a festival.

"Let us in!" a masked man shouted as he pounded on the fortified door. "There are too many Darkseekers in town!"

"Please, let us in!" a woman shouted as she tried to claw her way towards the door. "At least take my child!"

The child in question was heavily bundled and appeared to be no more than four or five. The sound of the child coughing quickly dispersed the crowd as many began to turn on the young mother.

"She's sick!"

"The child's infected!"

"She's going to get the rest of us sick!"

Su trembled inside the control room. Despite all the armaments and fortifications around the Hinata Sou the young princess was powerless to stop the crowd as they turned on the young woman and her daughter. It was sickening how they drove the woman away. Didn't they know that the scent of blood would just attract the Darkseekers once the sun set? Or didn't they care anymore?

Hitting a button she armed the water cannons and began to spray the crowd. Not only would it wash away the blood but it would also force the crowd to disperse.

"We should help them," Motoko whispered as she watched the screen. "But I know we can't. If we did then they'd turn on Kitsune and Shinobu. They probably would turn on us if they knew we were sheltering several infected."

The young princess nodded.

"I checked our inventory," Su stated. "We don't have enough food for them. They eat so much meat, and their metabolism is unbelievable!"

If not for the tracking devices that she had managed to place on her infected companions the young princess would not have believed that they were once human. Sure, they looked human, but the things that they were capable of were clearly superhuman. The small medical devices she'd put on Sarah, Haruka, and Seta once they had first show signs of being infected had allowed the young scientist to analyze the steady changes in their bodies. First it had been their body temperature, then the loss of their hair, and finally the increased sensitivity to UV light. As the home to a large outdoor bath the Hinata Sou had been perfect for attracting the Darkseekers.

But the Darkseekers were also attracted to blood. Their increased metabolism made them voracious drinkers of blood. For some unknown reason they craved it, almost as though they were vampires – drinking blood and afraid of the sun as well as possessing superhuman strength, the Darkseekers were truly formidable.

In the months since the first ones had appeared in Japan as a result of the airborne strain of the virus, it had taken less than a month for the Darkseekers to take over much of Japan. Unlike the gun-toting Americans who had resorted to the use of guns, Japanese society did not rely on guns. Because of that there had been relatively few deaths as a result of fighting.

With a month or two to prepare themselves the Japanese had managed to pool their resources and prepare themselves for the coming pandemic. Still, it had not been enough. Slowly but surely the number of infected increased. Though the number of actual Darkseekers was relatively low, it was clear that few remained to care for the infected as they slowly transformed. If word got out that there were three Darkseekers inhabiting the Hinata Sou things would get ugly fast.

"What do we do?" Motoko asked. As one of the few who appeared to be resistant to both strains of the virus, she no longer needed to wear a mask.

"I have to keep working on a cure," Su replied. Trapped inside of Mecha-Tama Mark 7, the mad scientist had to rely on her robots to do the bulk of the work. Though they transmitted the information to her the robots could only do so much as they lacked the brilliance of their creator. Unable to actually handle the samples Su had been forced to rely on Motoko and the two Mecha-Tamas (as two had been destroyed by a rampaging Seta and Haruka). "Just tend to Shinobu and Kitsune. If need be we'll have to put them in the courtyard and tag them."

*****

If Ranma had heard of Murphy's Law the pigtailed boy would have laughed as it generally described his life – anything could that could go wrong often did. The situation with his multiple fiancées, his nearly endless supply of rivals and people who wanted him dead, and all those times when he'd just ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time didn't help his relationship with Akane or any of the fiancées.

But things had definitely taken a turn for the worst after Konatsu had been thrown into the pit. Ukyo couldn't help but constantly try and check on her loyal servant and fellow cross-dresser, agitating the Darkseekers as she exposed the current residents to the light. It wouldn't have mattered too much if it had only been the six Darkseekers (and Konatsu) but with each sunset the cries of the captured Darkseekers drew more and more of their peers to the compound.

Nearly half a dozen had managed to jump over the fences after using the neighbor's house as a starting point. Though nearly twice that many had failed to clear the fence, each one that had failed had damaged the fence enough that later groups were able to clear the electric fences. If not for the fact that Ranma, Ryoga, Genma, Soun, and Tatewaki had been present at the breach things could have gotten messy. With Akane's help (manning the spotlight) the other Darkseekers had stopped jumping the wall, leaving only a handful of the transformed humans for the martial artists to handle. As it was they were lucky to escape with no injures as their superior skills as accomplished martial artists allowed them to quickly dispatch the invading Darkseekers. Though Kuno had killed one the remaining five Darkseekers had been thrown into the Pit.

The following morning Ryoga and Ranma went to the neighbor's house and found the grisly remains of the nearly two dozen people who had been holed up there. Raiding the house for any remaining supplies the pair decided to just knock down the building to keep other Darkseekers from using it as an entry point to the Kuno compound. It wasn't hard for Ryoga to knock the entire lot down with a Shishi Hokoden.

After a week it was clear that only the Kuno compound remained. On his daily runs to the gas station Ranma ran into fewer and fewer crowds. Bloody smears and burning buildings peppered the district as the cursed martial artist made his daily trek to the gas station.

By the second night after Ryoga had knocked down the neighbor's compound the Darkseekers once again had started to attack the Kuno compound in earnest. With all of the other houses/compounds having been destroyed it was no wonder that they had come back to the only compound left standing.

Aside from the nightly attacks there was also dwindling number of functional masks that they had to contend with. Even with the elder Kuno, Kodachi, and Konatsu not using their masks it was clear that the group did not have enough masks. Given the limited number of masks it wouldn't be long before more of them were thrown into the Pit.

"Stand down foul sorcerer!" Kuno shouted as he brandished his katana. "I will not let you throw my sister into the cursed pit with those beasts!"

"She's infected," Dr. Tofu reasoned. "If we leave her tied up in bed she's only going to die when the sunrises – do you want to be responsible for her death?"

"She wouldn't be infected if not for you and your foul magics!" Kuno shouted as he shouldered past the doctor. Charging ahead the hot-headed and clearly insane Kuno moved to attack Ranma.

Unwilling to let Tatewaki attack him while in the midst of the group Ranma lead the crazed Kuno away from the others. Barely dodging the wild slashes the pigtailed martial artist knew that even a near hit from the skilled kendo practitioner could be fatal. A light jump led the fool away from the others, only to leave Ranma with his back to the pit. The cursed youth turned to face his opponent, lashing out with a quick leg sweep that threw off knocked Tatewaki off his feet and sent his blade flying.

"Ah!" a feminine voice cried out as the blade cut through the air.

"Akane, are you alright?" Nabiki shouted as she rushed to her sister's side.

"It's only a scratch," the tomboy stated as she waved off her sibling.

"You're bleeding!" Ryoga shouted. Astonishment quickly turned to rage as Ryoga blindly charged at Kuno.

Still pulling himself up to his feet the captain of the kendo team failed to notice the lost boy's attack as he turned to face Ranma. "Foul sorcerer! If not for your antics the fair Akane would not be injured."

Ranma barely had time to duck as Ryoga launched a powerful left cross at the taller Tatewaki. Only the timely intervention of Sasuke saved Kuno as Ryoga's fist connected with the small ninja, launching the servant with a sickening punch to the face that sent him flying over the now prostrate Ranma and through the door leading into the Pit. The sound of the ninja's body hitting the tarp and then falling through it onto the captured Darkseekers seemed draw the powerful bandana wearing boy out of his rage as Ryoga realized just what he'd done. Crouched over the stunned Tatewaki, Ryoga made sure that the taller boy wouldn't be starting any more trouble.

Eyes wide in horror, Ranma twisted around as he sprang to his feet and rushed the Pit. The first to the currently non-electrified fence he watched in horror as one of the tarps ripped off from the rest and fell down to the bottom of the pit.

"You'll not be rid of the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High so easily!" Kuno shouted as he struggled to get back to his feet, completely unaware of what was happening around him.

"AHHH!"

Several bestial cries from the agitated Darkseekers sent shivers up the cursed boy's spine. In his mind's eye he could see the… fight… play out as the tiny ninja tried to fend off the handful of transformed humans. Though he was a skilled fighter, Ranma knew that Sasuke would not be able to fend off the Darkseekers for long.

The feel of Dr. Tofu's firm hand on his shoulder brought the boy back to reality and away from the terrifying images playing through his mind.

"We should close the fence," the older man stated.

Ranma nodded. Arm extended he grabbed hold of the cold chain linked door and closed it. "I'll get Kodachi," he ordered. "We should probably put her in before it gets dark out."

As he approached a somber Ryoga the gender cursed martial artist patted his friend and rival on the shoulder.

"I…" the bandana wearing boy stuttered. "I didn't…"

"Get some heavier chains," Ranma said, cutting off his rival. "We can't have that happening again. Tie down Kuno and search the compound for any other weapons he might have hidden."

There were few times in his short life that the cursed martial artist had felt this bad. Striking someone in anger wasn't very unusual for him, especially when things involved Akane. But for him to have caused someone's death … Ryoga slammed his hand into the ground. Frustrated as his stupidity and pride, the lost boy trembled.

"You're fucking weak Ryoga!" Ranma shouted.

"Leave him alone!" Akane shouted back. "Can't you see that he's upset?!"

The gender cursed martial artist ignored his uncute fiancée, choosing instead to focus on his rival. "You used to cry out about how you were going to kill me and beat me to a bloody pulp, but now that you've actually killed someone you're acting like a fucking girl! You're worse than a girl if you have to hide behind Akane's skirt!"

Walking away from the still trembling lost boy Ranma narrowly dodged Akane's mallet only to step into Ryoga's charge.

"God Damn you Ranma!" Ryoga shouted as he straddled the pigtailed boy. "I'll show you who's a coward!"

Only Ranma's quick reflexes kept his skull from becoming part of the shattered earth as he narrowly dodged the rain of punches that created small craters. After several punches Ranma spotted an opening as Ryoga shifted his weight. Matching the movement Ranma kicked Ryoga in the back of the head, throwing the powerful fighter off balance enough for the pigtailed boy to slip out from underneath.

Flipping to his feet Ranma eyed his infuriated rival.

"That's better," he said. "Now you're acting like a man at least."

The bandana wearing boy rolled his neck as he stood up and eyed his rival. With a smirk he huffed before cracking his knuckles. "Thanks."

Ranma nodded. "That's what friends are for."

*****

The sound of primal animalistic screams as the horde of Darkseekers rampaged through the ruins of the large urban city of L.A. were greeted with powerful gunshots as the defenders of one of the few untouched and fortified buildings sought to protect those inside. Barricaded inside of one of the city's many pawn shops Keitaro Urashima continued to fill his back pack with bullets and beef jerky as he hoped that the Darkseekers wouldn't notice him. Though the closest fighting sounded as though it were blocks away it wouldn't surprise him if there were some Darkseekers nearby.

Shotgun in hand he zipped up his bag before slipping it over his shoulders. Grabbing his trusty flashlight (with a powerful UV light bulb) the international student hoped that his friends and companions back in Japan were safe. But for now Keitaro had to think of how he'd survive the night. With only a few more hours before dawn he knew that he was in for a long night and day ahead.

*****

"So you're saying that Motoko and I are immune to the airborne strain?" the auburn haired girl asked.

The tan girl on the screen nodded from inside her armored suit. "From what I can tell you both seem to have immunity to the mutated virus, and what I've discovered is that roughly 25% of humans are resistant to the airborne strain. I don't know if you're both immune to the blood borne strain though."

The katana welding girl nodded.

"I'm not an immunologist or virologist," Su explained, "so I can't confirm anything for sure. I'd like to compare my findings to what they have at Tokyo University."

Both girls exchanged a cautious glance at each other as they considered Su's information.

"If I leave now I can make it to Tokyo U. and get back by sunset," the young princess explained.

Motoko and Naru again shared a knowing glance, neither sure if Su could really do what she'd told them. True, the girl had created some incredible things in the past, but more often than not things did not go the way the girl had planned them. More often than not things got messy.

*****

The pounding ran really annoyed Ranma. Not only did the thunderstorm strike without warning but it had left Ranma with a black piglet rather than a powerful fighter, and left Ranma as a girl. Though she was used to being a girl, Ranma hated that he couldn't count on Ryoga to help defend the compound against the enraged Darkseekers.

But the rain provided yet another problem as it threatened to fill drown the dozen or so Darkseekers that were contained in the pit. The steadily downpour had dumped at least several centimeters in the last hour alone and did not look to be letting up. And while the Pit was fairly large, the entire floor of the man-made hole was more than likely filled with the cool water. With their feet wet and cold the Darkseekers were howling mad.

It didn't help that despite the steadily warming weather prior to the storm had resulted in more cases of infection among the remaining inhabitants of the Kuno compound. Kasumi and Nabiki had all begun to show signs of being infected, while Soun Tendo had become bedridden. Even the normally steadfast Dr. Tofu had begun to show signs of being under the weather. Only Ranma, Ryoga, Genma, Akane, and Ukyo were unaffected thus far. Well, there was Tatewaki Kuno, but he had been locked up after the incident involving Sasuke.

But at least that incident had proven useful as Ryoga had managed to find a hidden storehouse of weapons that would make Mousse envious. Sure, there were hundreds of the usual bokken, gymnastic tools/weapons, and even several dozen katana, nodachi, chains and sickles, and other traditional fighting weapons, but what surprised everyone was the amount of weapons that the Kuno family had stockpiled that weren't for martial artists – machine guns, rifles, revolvers, pistols, grenade launchers, anti-tank guns, anti-air guns, surface to air missiles, land mines, and cannons of all shapes and sizes – it was completely mind boggling just how much they had.

As he dug the new trench that diverted the rain water away from the Pit Ranma couldn't help but wonder why the Kuno family had stockpiled up so many weapons. But it was more than just that they had weapons, it was that they had such destructive and devastating weapons. Why?

That simple question continued to taunt her as she worked on improving the defenses of the compound. Even with everything else going on Ranma couldn't get past the weapons. Never one to use weapons himself, the pigtailed boy couldn't help but wonder if the arsenal of modern weapons could help them or if it would only make things worse.

*****

A/N

Hmmmm

What's going to happen? You'll have to wait and see.

Dreamingfox


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes -

This is a work of complete fiction borrowing ideas, characters, and concepts from Ranma ½ and I am Legend intended for the entertainment and enjoyment of me the writer and those few readers who are reading this.

Now, time to answer some questions/reviews –

Eromancer - If you go by the movie starring Will Smith, Robert Neville becomes a legend because he finds a cure for the disease. In the alternate ending he becomes a legend in that the Darkseekers vilify him as their tormentor.

Movie-Brat – I came up with the idea for this fic while I was writing Ranma's White Wings. I wanted to do something darker and more somber, and happened to come across a Ranma fic crossed with 28 Days Later which wasn't finished (the author of that fic also has a Love Hina crossover with 28 Days Later which parallels the Ranma fic).

Oh, and I'll try to keep this fic at its current rating.

I'm looking for a beta for this, if anyone is interested let me know.

*****

Keitaro couldn't remember the last time he'd had a peaceful night sleep. Actually, the former ronin turned international student couldn't help but wonder if coming to America had been the best idea. Sure, it had been a promising idea when he'd talked about it with Seta, and considering that he couldn't really take any classes after missing his first term at Todai studying abroad had been his best option. Back when he'd first left Japan no one had any idea that things would turn out the way they had. Then again no one had expected scientists to develop a cure for cancer or that the cure would mutate into some killer disease that transformed those infected into pseudo-vampires.

It was probably only a month or two into his stay in L. A. that he had enjoyed his last good night of sleep. Right about the time that the first case of the pandemic reached the western coast of the large country – that was the last time anyone had gotten any good sleep. But at least he was still alive, which a lot considering how many people had become infected or who had died as a result of the chaos that had quickly spread through the country.

Of the fifty students (American and international) ten had returned home before the disease reached California, another thirty of them had fallen ill during the first week after the disease had reached the west coast, and another five had become infected within the month. Of the five remaining students four had died during the first night of chaos, leaving only Keitaro as the last official student left in the class. Actually, of the million or so inhabitants of L. A. there were probably only several hundred survivors, each fighting for their lives and for the remaining resources.

"Leave your things and you'll live!" a loud, vicious voice demanded.

Slowly Keitaro tried to process what the loud American had said, as he did so he calmly reloaded the shotgun he'd acquired several days ago. It had been that incident at the at the pawn shop where he'd first run into the remains of the biker gang. If not for the arrival of the Darkseekers Keitaro was sure that he would not have eluded the vicious gang. Though their numbers had obviously been cut down significantly since that encounter they obviously outnumbered the lone international student.

Still, outnumbered as he was, the seemingly immortal boy knew he couldn't give up. What would Naru and the others say if he gave up just because the odds were against him? Getting into Todai was harder than facing these guys! Hell, Naru and the girls were more dangerous than these guys!

Psyched up, Keitaro assessed his situation. Trapped inside the ruined remains of what looked to be a gas station the former ronin spotted several packages of unopened firecrackers. Grabbing the closest pack he quickly stuffed several into his pack before lighting one of the mortar balls. Lobbing several over towards the thugs and covered his ears. Protected (slightly) from the deafening bang and bright flash of light the former ronin quickly took advantage of his stunned pursuers as he crashed through a window. With another mortar in hand Keitaro quickly lit then tossed it back through the ruined window as he located his dirt bike.

Hopefully the distractions would throw off his pursuers enough to give him enough time to find a secure place to hide as nightfall quickly approached.

*****

The wet, moist soil felt heavy in the battered metal spade as Ranma dug the new trench. The heavy early spring rains had filled the makeshift moat around the Kuno compound and were now threatening to fill the Pit. Unwilling to let his former companions drown Ranma tried to dig a trench around the Pit while using the displace soil to raise the lip.

"Ranma," a familiar voice called out. "You can't stay out there. You're all wet; you need to come in and dry off."

Shaking her head Ranma ignored Akane's protests. With the others out either because of their cursed forms or because they were sick or tied up, only the pigtailed girl and Akane were capable of working in the rain.

"Ranma-honey," Ukyo called out weakly. "We can't have you getting sick too."

Having spent the past two days at Konatsu's bedside the okonomiyaki chef had exhausted herself tending to her fellow cross-dresser and loyal servant. Feeling her wet hand on her shoulder the redhead nodded.

"Get some rest," Akane said as Ukyo lead Ranma back into the compound.

The redhead nodded. "Just make sure Kuno's tied up."

"Don't worry about him sugar," the chef said. "Ryoga's got him tied down and locked up in the one of their cellars.

"There's some hot water in the kitchen. I'm sure Kasumi will have a bath drawn up for you if you need one."

With her lack of sleep slowly catching up to her Ranma absently nodded. Fighting back a yawn Ranma somehow found herself in the bathroom.

"I'm worried about Ranma," Ukyo stated as the redhead closed the door behind her.

Akane raised her brow, not sure how to take what her rival was saying.

"I don't know about Ryoga, but I know Ranma hasn't slept much since the fight with Kuno," the okonomiyaki chef explained. "He's working himself to exhaustion patching and strengthening the fortifications, but he barely sleeps at all."

The short haired girl nodded. "Ryoga's been pretty…. short tempered lately too."

Tired as he was, Ranma could still hear the two girls even as he shook off the excess hot water. Having splashed himself and thus changing back into his male form he was now much more awake and with it then he'd been a few moments ago. Dunking himself into the bath he quickly drying himself he wrapped himself up in a towel before heading up to get some dry clothes.

The sleep deprived youth valiantly fought off the grip of unconsciousness as he opened the bathroom door. The nearly naked boy lumbered out of the bathroom heedless of the fact that two of his fiancées were present.

"Pervert!" an all too familiar voice shouted.

Exhausted by two straight days of hard work and from a lack of sleep Ranma instinctively countered Akane's usual attack with a swift kick to the stomach. Though the kick was far from being fully powered it left the short haired girl doubled over and a mallet and wet towel on the floor.

"Huh?" the pigtailed boy exclaimed as he realized that Akane was now clutching her stomach and crumpled on the ground.

Though she'd seen pictures of a baby Ranma naked, seeing him in the buff in person (even after a bath) startled the long haired girl. Clamping her hands over her mouth she tried to pull her eyes away from her fiancé.

Absently the pigtailed boy nodded before picking up his towel before wrapping it around his waist once again.

Somehow the tired boy managed to find his way back to the boy's room without further incident.

*****

The thunder rumbled in the distance sent a slight shiver of panic through the young girl as she. Straining her ears the blond girl's hand trembled. Shaking her head she tried to calm down.

"As long as it rains Darkseeker's won't come in here," she muttered to herself. Trapped in the isolated building Su knew that only the pouring rain stood between herself and the Darkseekers. Having run through the cold rain she knew that her scent was washed away by the heavy rainfall. But it had been the same thunderstorm which had put her in her current predicament as the thick clouds blocked out the sun light (which powered her back-up generator), not to mention the lightning bolt that had knocked out her primary generator (and caused her to crash into one of the buildings).

Looking at the fried electronics Su sighed as she pulled out the panel. Still wearing her biohazard suit the young princess looked at the gage on her wrist. Taking a measured breath she focused her attention on her work. With time running out and limited resources the inventive girl knew she had a lot to do and not a lot of time to do everything.

*****

The ever familiar sound of a barefooted Naru pacing the length of the hallway was starting to annoy the fairly patient and usually mild tempered Motoko.

"Stomping around here isn't going to help," the younger girl stated. With her eyes still closed the slim girl tried to focus on the faint sounds of the Darkseekers several floors beneath her current position.

"I'm not 'stomping around'," the auburn haired girl replied. "I'm making sure that everything else is still working."

Though she was clearly lying, the raven haired girl didn't care to call her companion out on the subject.

"It wouldn't look good if we let everything break down while Su's gone," the auburn haired girl added as she walked over to one of the monitors. "We have to show Su that we're capable of keeping the Hinata Sou and everything in working order even while she's gone."

A silent nod was all Motoko needed to do to acknowledge Naru's point. Then again, it was only two days. How much wear and tear could Su's equipment have endured in such a short amount of time?

"She probably just has too much information to sort out," the older girl replied. "Tokyo U's got a lot of people in their biology departments, Su is probably sifting through all the information that they've got. Or she's found something that she can use and is trying to figure out how to get it back here without using it for something else."

The sound of breaking glass drew the attention of both girls. Opening her eyes Motoko leapt to her feet before dashing over to the balcony.

"They're still trying to break in," the raven haired girl muttered as she noted the small crowd of survivors who were trying to force their way up the rigged stairs that connected the girls' dormitory to the rest of the village.

"The crowd's smaller," Naru said aloud. "Probably because of the rain; the weather's keeping people inside today."

With her keen eyes, Motoko knew that the reasons weren't that simple. The haggard condition of the remaining crowd told her all that she needed to of why the crowd was smaller. The ragged and blood splattered clothes suggested that the weather had nothing to do with why the survivors were trying to force their way into the Hinata Sou.

*****

"Akane!" Soun cried out as he hugged the youngest of his daughters. "First your mother died and now Nabiki is sick too!"

"It's alright daddy," Akane said soothingly as she patted her sobbing father. "She'll be alright; Dr. Tofu is going to take care of everything."

"That's right father," the ever calm Kasumi seconded. "I'm sure that he'll take care of everything."

As sincere and sweet as the eldest Kasumi daughter made it sound, Ranma knew that things weren't that easy. Though Dr. Tofu was well versed in what Westerners termed 'Alternative Medicine' the good doctor lacked the knowledge and expertise to deal with the mutated virus. No one, not even the Western doctors lead by some Robert Neville, had been able to do anything to even slow the spread of the disease much less find a cure for it.

"Ranma," Dr. Tofu whispered, "could you have Akane and Kasumi escort Mr. Tendo out?"

Nodding, Ranma did as the doctor requested. "Um, Kasumi, why don't you take your father to the living room? I'm sure pops wouldn't mind keeping him company."

Though she often appeared clueless, the eldest Tendo daughter was much more perceptive then she let on. Catching Ranma's hint Kasumi gathered her father and younger sister into her arms before gently leading them out of the room. Though she desperately wanted to be with her ailing sister she knew that Dr. Tofu needed peace and quiet if he were to seriously treat her sister.

"Ranma, I need you to tie Nabiki down," Dr. Tofu instructed. "She's not as strong or athletic as Kodachi or her father, but she'll still be much stronger than the average person if she turns."

"If?"

"Nearly 99% of those who are infected by the Krippin Virus die," the doctor explained. "Konatsu, Kodachi, and the Principal are exceptionally healthy and durable fighters, something that has helped them endure the pain of the transformation. If they weren't exceptional fighters they would probably have died. But Nabiki's different; she might appear to be healthy, and she is, but she's nowhere near being in your league. You know she only exercises to stay in shape, not to endure the physical strain that you or Ryoga endure while training much less what you do when you actually fight.

"From what I've been told of the Krippin Virus is that over 90% of the population has been infected by the airborne virus. There are over six billion people on the planet: that means that 5.46 billionpeople aren't immune."

"So there are going to be roughly 5.46 million people who will survive?" the pigtailed boy asked.

Dr. Tofu nodded. "But if they aren't in a secure shelter like this one their chances for survival are very low. You've seen how strong, fast, and powerful the Hemocytes are compared to average people. I know that you and Ryoga, maybe even your father and Kuno could fight them one-on-one and beat them, but even an above average fighter like Akane would be hard pressed to beat one without getting injured.

"I know you want us to treat Kodachi and the principal, but keeping them here is only going to endanger the others. You know that at night the Darkseekers are calling out to the others, and I'm sure that you know that the ones roaming around Nerima have slowly been going through the town killing the few other survivors. It won't be long before there's no one left and the Darkseekers turn their attention to us."

"I'm not throwing them out," Ranma said firmly.

"That might not be your call to make," Dr. Tofu stated. "I know you want to do all that you can for everyone, but this is the best course to take. You're still young; leave this decision to the adults."

Frustrated and unable to dispute Dr. Tofu's cold logic, Ranma stood up. Before he could even help it Ranma found himself outside in the hallway.

"It's the right thing to do," Ryoga said calmly. "If we want to protect the people closest to us we need to either kill the Darkseekers or release them outside of the compound."

"I… I can't do it…"

Ryoga let out a weak chuckle. "You, Ranma Saotome, are actually admitting that you can't do something? Hell must have frozen over!"

Ranma shook his head. "I can do anything martial arts wise, but this isn't martial arts – I can't just turn my back on someone who needs help."

His rival nodded. "But there's nothing that we can do for them," Ryoga conceded. "Right now we're starving the ones we have – it won't be long before they die. At least if we let them out they'll have a chance of surviving."

"But they'll be killing any survivors that are left in Nerima, hell, they might leave for Tokyo."

"It's probably like that everywhere," Ryoga added. "The few news reports we get suggest that we kill any Darkseekers and keep ourselves fortified."

"I'm not going to let anyone kill them."

"So you're going to starve them to death?"

Ranma shook his head. There really were no good options for them. Slumping to the floor Ranma buried his face in his hands. "I don't know."

*****

The sound of gentle rain on the wooden roof and the smooth waves slowly lulled Keitaro as he fought to stay awake. After spending much of the last few days running from either packs of Darkseekers or from the enraged biker gang, the young student had managed to find a suitable shelter and possible transportation. Knowing nothing of boats or motors, much less navel navigation, the young survivor managed to cast off the wrecked dock.

"Only a few little more," he muttered to himself. "Just a bit further and then I can sleep."

Pulling in his oars Keitaro quickly leaned over the side and vomited. "Guess I shouldn't have had that beef…."

*****

The lingering rain irked the redhead to no end. Though it was sparse and failed to penetrate her rain coat the dying storm had left plenty of puddles and muddy water to annoy the water cursed boy turned girl.

"How are the lights?" Ranma asked as she pulled herself up to the main watch tower.

"Good," Ukyo answered from the topmost spotlight.

"Good," Akane shouted from the lower spotlight. "Are the fences going to hold up?"

"Yeah," Ranma reluctantly replied. "The cement around the posts should be cured enough to hold and we have enough fuel to maintain the electrical current. I just that Happosai and I aren't needed."

"Why don't you have Ryoga help out?" the short haired girl asked.

"He's keeping Kuno in line," Ranma replied quickly. "I don't trust Happosai anywhere I can't see him, and Kuno's still pissed about Sasuke and his sister."

"Oh."

Ranma hated lying to her, but he really couldn't help but keep his and Ryoga's oldest secret from her. It was Ryoga's secret to tell, not his. Regardless of the situation that it put him in Ranma would keep his word.

"The rain's stopped so I'm sure the Darkseekers are going to catch our scents again if they aren't drawn to us by the ones we've captured, so stay on your toes," the redhead instructed.

*****

"It's been two days," the auburn haired girl stated as she look over the monitors. "She's been gone for three whole days, two longer than she had anticipated."

The girl's companion nodded. "We'll just have to wait for her. There's nothing else we can do Naru."

"We could go to Tokyo and search for her," the busty girl replied as she folded her arms under her impressive rack. "We can't just leave her alone."

"And we can't leave Shinobu and the others alone either," the raven haired girl replied. "If we go we'd both have to go, but if we both leave then we're leaving the Hinata Sou unattended. Who knows what would happen if we left things unattended. I don't know if we'd even be able to get back in, or if someone else might claim this place as their own while we're gone.

"Su's more than capable enough of getting back on her own," Motoko added. "Like you said, she's probably just engrossed in all the information she's gotten."

*****

"You're sure their heavily sedated?" Ryoga asked as he peered into the dark pit.

"Positive," Dr. Tofu replied. "I've put enough in there to knock out an elephant."

"Good," Ranma stated as he cracked his knuckles. "Everyone know their roles?"

Akane and Ukyo nodded. Even after spending the past eight hours protecting the compound the two girls were still awake.

Seeing their nods Ranma slipped on his mask.

Lifting them into the body bags they quickly bound the unconscious bodies and stuffed them into body bags. Quickly carrying the bodies out of the pit the pair attached a hook to the bag before carrying them up to the top of the sentry tower.

"That's all of them?" Akane asked as she counted the body bags.

"Yeah," Ryoga replied.

"Which one's Kodachi?" Ukyo asked.

"Fifth from the right," the pigtailed boy answered as he pointed out the bag.

"Ryoga, I'll go over and set up the drop line," Ranma added as he quickly notched an arrow. Swiftly and skillfully he shot at the closest building outside of the compound. Tying his end he tested the line's strength Ranma quickly pulled himself up and onto the sturdy line. In a flash the young fighter crossed the hundred meter stretch and leapt onto the neighboring building. Waving to his rival Ranma watched as the first of the bodies was attached to the line and then descended down the line.

Catching the body before it hit the wall Ranma quickly lifted the body and unhooked it from the line. One after another the body bags came until none remained on the other side of the line. Grabbing the first one he slung it over his shoulder then grabbed a second.

Hearing his slower rival's approach Ranma turned around and nodded. "I'll take these towards the high school."

*****

The feel of the warm sun on her dark skin felt very refreshing. Not only was it a signal that the long night was over, but it also meant that her suit's back-up generator would be back online. As energetic and athletic as she was the small girl knew that she wouldn't be able to withstand another assault by the hemocytes, at least not in her current position or in the current power level that her suit was in.

Looking up at the semi-cloudy skies the blond girl hoped that there would be enough light to recharge the back-up fuel cells. Using the new light Su inspected several key panels. Checking the electronics for any damage she nodded solemnly. Satisfied, she crawled into her damaged but still used able suit. Though she would be sleeping standing up the inventive girl knew that she'd have to endure some discomfort if she wanted to get any sleep during the day. Setting the alarm so that she'd have enough time to move to a more secure place she waited for the hatch to close before she closed her exhausted eyes.

*****

A/N

Krippin Virus – named after Dr. Krippin who tried to alter the common cold virus so that it targeted only cancer cells.

Hemocyte – the medical term for Darkseekers.

Yes, I'm slowly drawing the two anime casts together….

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes –

I'm glad that everyone who's read this fic thus far has enjoyed it (at least that's my opinion as no one has said otherwise).

Not much else to say. Please Read and Review.

*****

"The sedative is wearing off," Ryoga's voice cautioned.

Though he couldn't see his closest rival the pigtailed boy nodded as he found a dark enclosure for his two passengers. Feeling the bodies beginning to tense he knew that his bandana wearing rival was right. Keeping the Darkseekers too long would not be smart. Though it was still light out Ranma knew that there wasn't much time left until sundown.

"Do you hear me Ranma?!" Ryoga asked, his voice buzzing in the two way radio that Ranma had found during the raid of a now vacant compound. Fortunately for them the small battery operated electronic devices still worked, unfortunately they wouldn't help their original owners as it appeared that no one remained in that broken bunker.

Pulling the walkie-talkie off of his waist the pigtailed boy pushed down on one of the buttons, "Yeah, I hear ya."

Leaping out of the shattered remains of the house Ranma quickly made his way up to the roof.

"Where are you at?" Ryoga's demanded.

Checking his bearings Ranma turned to face the light tower that marked the Kuno compound. With Ryoga's horrible sense of direction it had fallen on Ranma to take the unconscious Darkseekers out of the compound and spread them throughout the remains of Nerima. "I'm just a block or two away from St. Herebeke."

"You don't have time to scout the area," Ukyo's voice cut in. "We still have two more Darkseekers here and they're starting to wake up."

Grinding his teeth Ranma nodded, not that anyone was around to see it. Though he knew that he was running out of time the pigtailed boy couldn't help but explore the ghost town that was Nerima in hopes of finding some sign of life. He had after all found the walkie-talkies, and several barrels of fuel as well, but he had failed to find any survivors.

"Yeah, yeah," he replied dismissively. "It's getting late, I think we should just tie them up and tie them up and throw them back into the pit or throw them over the fence."

"Ranma," Akane said through the static and buzzing of the walkie. "Could you stop by Dr. Tofu's clinic? There might be some more medicine in the storage locker."

Again Ranma nodded. He'd already taken everything out of the clinic that they could use, but this opening would allow him to explore some more. "Sure."

He could tell that Ryoga was sighing, clearly frustrated that he wasn't able to get out of the compound. Then again, if the eternal lost boy ever left he probably wouldn't be able to find his way back. That was a risk that they couldn't take as they would need all available fighters at night.

Taking an indirect route to the clinic Ranma leapt from roof to roof before nimbly making his way up the ruined remains of St. Hebereke.

"Shit!" he shouted. Stopping he pressed down the walkie-talkie. "It looks like there's some fighting south west of here."

"About how far?" a voice, Ukyo's, asked.

"Two kilometers, maybe three; I'm going to go check it out."

Not waiting for a response the pigtailed martial artist sped towards the disturbance.

*****

The sound of Naru's gentle, even breaths barely registered in the raven haired girl's mind as she valiantly fought to stay awake. Neither girl had slept much since Su's departure, but after two days of no sleep the auburn haired girl had finally given in to her basic and primal needs by slipping into a state of unconsciousness.

_At least she managed to do it on the mattress this time_, Motoko thought as her slumbering companion snorted then turned over on her side. _I can't believe she fell asleep in the bathroom_….

With no one around to bear witness her unlady like behavior, Motoko opened her mouth and yawned. Taking a deep breath her body trembled as she fought to stay awake. Several blinks later and she felt refreshed, well, as refreshed as anyone who had spent the past three days awake. Looking at the black window that had been set up to monitor Su's battle suit the lean girl sat back in the comfortable chair.

_This is nice_, she thought as she rested her head against the leather backing.

Slowly the sound of the raven haired girl's shallow, even breaths joined the auburn haired girl's as both dozed.

*****

The sound of large metal boots crushing broken glass into the concrete was drowned out by the sound of two wrist mounted Gatling guns unloading their punishing payloads. Unfortunately the rounds of bullets seemed to only add more debris to the parking garage as chunks of concrete, glass, and metal flew from the abandoned cars and the walls and ceiling of the dark concrete structure. But the rounds weren't countless as Su could attest to. In fact, the rounds were quickly counting down as they neared depletion.

With the current wave of Darkseekers either down or hidden behind some sort of cover Su decided to run into the stair well. Plowing through the door and wall separating the stairwell from the open parking garage the blond girl hoped that the lingering light on that side of the building would keep the pursuing Darkseekers at bay.

It'd been foolish and careless of her to leave her suit out in the open, especially when the sun was bound to set behind the tall buildings to the west, making it much easier for the Darkseekers who loathed the direct sunlight. Even with some light out the cover provided by the tall shopping center was just enough throw the entire plaza that Su and her battle suit had spent the day in into dark, deep shadows.

Now with dwindling bullets and only enough power for her suit to keep running for a few hours Su was quickly running out of options. Trudging up the stairs the young girl made her way up to the top of the parking structure.

"Come on," she said, pleading with her machine, "charge up, charge up!"

Scanning the top level of the parking garage she decided to save what little power there was in her power cells.

"Ten, maybe twelve minutes," she muttered, estimating the remaining amount of sunlight she had left.

The sound of several Darkseekers howling quickly pulled her eyes away from the gauges on display in her suit. Checking her monitors she hoped that the clouds wouldn't block out what little sunlight remained.

Anxiously, the blond waited. Checking her gauges she absently began to calculate her odds in the back of her mind.

*****

"What the hell are you doing?!" Akane shouted as she pressed down on the walkie talkie.

"He knows what he's doing," Ukyo said as she turned on her spotlight. "Have some faith in him; he never loses."

"Yeah," the short haired girl muttered as she readied her spotlight.

"Ryoga's thrown the rope over the fence," the chef stated.

The pregnant silence loomed on the tower as the two girls watched the sun set. With the neighboring compounds all leveled there was at least a good fifty meters between any cover and the moat, giving the girls plenty of time to use the powerful UV spotlights to deter any Darkseekers who attempted to storm their fortifications. At least that was what they had all thought. Few of the Darkseekers ran in a straight line, making it hard for the girls to actually shine the light on the intruders. Only the barbed (formerly electrified) fence gave the girls enough time to put the spotlight on the Darkseekers.

"Don't forget to keep an eye out for any possible breaches," Ryoga shouted up to the girls.

Akane nodded. Given how strong the Darkseekers were she shouldn't have been surprised that the fence was getting breached. What had surprised all of them had been how relentless the Darkseekers were at exposing the few weaknesses they happened to find or create. Though even Ranma had a hard time clearing the moat, the Darkseekers had learned to bypass the moat by throwing large objects into the deep waters and using anything that stood out of the water as a stepping stone to help them cross the frigid waters. The barbed and electrified fence had held, unfortunately the generator had not. Still, the metal structure had managed to at least tie up the Darkseekers long enough for either Akane or Ukyo to shine the high powered spotlight onto them.

The only serious breaches had occurred when the neighboring compound to the south had fallen. A night after slaughtering the survivors in that compound the Darkseekers had managed to breach the Kuno compound through the unprotected southern walls. If not for the terrifying stash of weapons that the Kuno family had stockpiled Akane was sure that they would have been overwhelmed. Reluctant as they were to use firearms, both Ranma and Ryoga had been forced to at least use blunt weapons while Genma, Soun, Principal Kuno, and Miss Hinako had sniped off any Darkseeker that managed to get past them. The following morning Ryoga leveled the remains of the neighbor's compound leaving a sizable crater which was now filled with rain water. What had once been the least protected side was now the safest boundary as the waist deep pond was deeper and wider than the rest of the moat around the compound.

"Who's covering the machine gun?" Ukyo asked. Though the cross-dressing girl had tried to sound calm, Akane knew that Nabiki's illness and Ranma's absence were wearing on her.

"I think Mr. Saotome is going to handle sniping tonight," the short haired girl answered. "Daddy's going to handle the rifle and Mrs. Saotome is going to back them up with a bow."

"So we're going to trust Ryoga with all the hand to hand fighting?" the other girl asked. "I really wish the Amazons were still around. Too bad they got called back to China."

"I thought they got deported."

"No, duck-boy told me that they got called back. Do you really think that anyone would be able to force Cologne to go back other than the full council of Amazon elders?"

Gazing over the southern lot/pond, Akane nodded. "Yeah, I guess even she couldn't go against the council."

"It'd be one thing if the Amazons weren't in trouble," a third voice interjected.

Instinctively both girls glanced around for the source of the voice. Knowing Happosai the old letch was probably in need of a good groping/molesting just to get his energy reserves up. With no school (or local girls really) for him to terrorize by raiding their panties, the old pervert's stash of silky treasures was getting stale and old. While he had yet to try and grope any of the girls at the compound Happosai had been seen trying to get a hold of female Ranma, but with Ranma still unaccounted for the pickings had become very slim for the old grandmaster.

"No worries girls," Happosai cried out as he patted Akane's tight rear. As quickly as he had appeared the old master had vanished, falling to the ground as though the twenty meter drop were nothing more than a short step. "I'll protect you girls even if it costs me my life."

Shaking her head Ukyo sighed. With the sun finally disappearing behind the western horizon she quickly scanned the eastern horizon. Roars and howls filled the air as the Darkseekers emerged from their hidden lairs.

*****

Thousands of miles away, in the still sunny and bright light of the day a lone figure stood atop a bamboo shoot. Perched over the numerous cursed springs the masked girl sighed. As the last of the Amazons it was her responsibility to find a suitable male to help continue their ancient traditions.

"Quack!"

"Mousse, you no suitable husband," the lavender haired girl shouted as she swatted at the be-speckled duck. "You already lose to me not once, not twice, but three times!"

"Quack quack!" the white duck protested.

"Besides, if you find suitable wife we can both increase odds of carrying on Amazon traditions," the masked girl replied.

"Quack quack."

"Cursing others no cure," Shampoo stated. "Only give them another body they no used to. Look what happen to Ling Ling – bitten by zombie monster then splashed with in spring of drowned monk only to get eaten by horde of zombie monsters."

"Quack!" the duck replied weakly.

"We go back to Japan," the girl stated. "Find Airen; maybe you get Violent Girl or Spatula Girl as wife."

"Quack!" the duck protested.

"You no argue with Shampoo! Shampoo now champion, elder and matriarch of village!"

"Quack," Mousse replied in defeat.

Extracting a thermos from out of nowhere the purple haired girl splashed herself. The sudden transformation caused her clothes to slide off of her ample body as she shrunk. Gone was the busty and beautiful purple haired girl, instead a purple kitten stood atop the bamboo shoot. Gracefully the kitten leapt off of the bamboo, landing in a basket that the be-speckled duck happened to be carrying.

"Meow!" the kitten ordered.

"Quack!" the duck replied dejectedly.

*****

In all his life Ranma rarely ever thought of himself as 'reckless'. Sure, others might have viewed the things that he did as reckless, but only because they weren't as strong, tough, fast, or as skilled as he was. Being the best martial artist of his generation, and possibly ever, Ranma rarely ever doubted his abilities in a fight. Even fighting against seemingly overwhelming odds wasn't unusual.

But rushing headlong into a crowd of already enraged Darkseekers was reckless. Even though he considered an average Darkseeker to be roughly as strong as Akane and just as fast, they were as durable as Ryoga but only as skilled as a low level fighter. The thing that made them dangerous was their bite as it was capable of infecting the victim and by passing the contact strain of the Krippin Virus.

If he was simply trying to avoid the pack he'd have succeeded beyond anyone (even his) expectation. But to get through them and to save whomever the pack was chasing was another thing. For that he had to go on the offensive instead of simply evading and relying on counter attacks.

Grabbing a broken metal bar Ranma cautiously gripped his newly acquired weapon. Careful not to press the broken glass into his hands the pigtailed boy lashed out with a kick to chin of a leaping Darkseeker, sending it flying into several of its companions behind it. Using the recoil from the kick the young fighter used the force to spin to his right, bashing another Darkseeker over the head with his makeshift weapon. A flick of the wrist caused the bar to spin in another direction, batting away the hand of a third opponent.

Still spinning Ranma casually pushed off of the offending Darkseeker as it flew through the exact spot that he'd been in just a moment ago. Off balance from the pigtailed boy's counter, the female Darkseeker crashed to the ground. Furious it quickly regained its footing and waited for another opportunity as the rest of the pack leapt at their quarry.

Despite their numbers none of the two dozen Darkseekers had managed to even scratch the fearless boy. Regardless of his success thus far Ranma knew that he couldn't maintain such a furious pace. Though he had yet to break a sweat or even get scratched, the pigtailed martial artist knew that he needed a break. Unfortunately the parking garage was not the best place for the Ultimate Attack. Still, he would have to make due.

Clubbing the closest Darkseeker over the head he flung the battered bar at the second closest creature before kicking the third in the face. Rather than sending the Darkseeker flying, Ranma used the force and inertial of the creature's attack combined with his own kick to propel himself away from the hoard.

_Akane and Ukyo (and probably Ryoga too) were probably upset, _Ranma thought as he dashed away from the pack of Darkseekers_. They'll probably come looking for me if I don't make it back by_ _dawn_.

Picking up tire iron Ranma threw it at the closest Darkseeker. The sickening sound of metal connecting with flesh meant that he'd connected with one of them. The howl of pain told him that he'd seriously injure the one he hit.

Leaping between two cars the pigtailed boy grabbed a battered pair of baseball bats before springing out from the narrow passage. Testing the feel of the twin short aluminum bats (probably for 10 year olds) he watched his pursuers out of the corner of his eyes.

_Man, if it were just me I'd easily be able to stay ahead of them_, the pigtailed boy thought as he slipped through the narrow opening leading up to the next level. The annoying beeping told him nothing he didn't already know – the sun had set and the Darkseekers were on the prowl. _Yeah, like I didn't know that already_.

*****

Living at the Hinata Sou for the past few years Su had thought that she'd seen everything – Keitaro being sent flying regularly was boring though the various reasons for said flight were always entertaining, Motoko and Naru (and Sara and Seta) were all exceptional fighters (though the best fight was between Motoko and Seta during the play at the beach), but she doubted that any of them (or any pair of them) could have fought their way through the pack of Darkseekers to get to her. Motoko and Seta were both killed, but she could follow their attacks even if she couldn't always avoid them. This boy though, he was fast. She couldn't see anything beyond the blue-gray blur of the bats as he swung at the Darkseekers was all she could see. Only the sickening sound of metal on flesh and the accompanying howls of pain from the infected creatures hinted at the amount of damage that the raven haired boy was dealing.

Completely enthralled with the fight before her, Su failed to hear the handful of Darkseekers that had climbed up the side of the parking structure. Only the sound of the infected woman's scream as it launched itself at her alerted her to the dangerous group behind her.

Swinging around Su lashed out instinctively. The loud roar of her twin Gatling guns drowned out the creature's howl of pain as several rounds pierced its thick skin. Few of the high powered, hollow point rounds missed at that range. In a blink of an eye the five Darkseekers had been riddled with bullets, the force of the shots knocking them over the meter high ledge they had climbed over moments ago.

With the smaller group of Darkseekers dispatched, Su turned her attention back to the mysterious martial artist. Given her dwindling supply of bullets the young girl quickly switched over to darts. Though they lacked the stopping power of the bullets, even a miss would help scatter the Darkseekers once the liquids would vaporize. The special sedative had proven to be very effective on Shinobu and the other infected residents of the Hinata Sou. With little to no breeze the gas could remain effective for up to an hour before finally dispersing, but out in the open like this, well, she'd yet to actually field test the sedative. Not to mention that she'd failed to test its effectiveness on uninfected humans.

*****

_Pressure points don't work_, Ranma thought to himself as he mentally crossed off another technique that failed to work on the Darkseekers. Bashing away the clawed hands of one of his assailants Ranma kicked off the ground and launched himself high into the air. _That's the one that I nailed with the same trick Dr. Tofu had used on me_.

Undaunted by his display of physical prowess, several Darkseekers jumped after him.

With a smile Ranma deflected the first of his attackers. The gentle yet effective parry not only sent his opponent crashing down into an abandoned car, but by stealing the momentum of his opponent and redirecting it the pigtailed boy managed to stay just out of his opponents' reach. In the air he not only kept the fight at a more comfortable distance where they couldn't use their numbers against him.

Back in his element Ranma felt a surge of energy running through his body. Invigorated, the pigtailed boy casually discarded his weapons, though he did manage to knock two of his opponents over the ledge.

Kicking the lead Darkseeker in the temple he deftly twisted in the air before grabbing two more Darkseekers' hands. Adding his momentum to theirs, he casually redirected them and sent them flying through the windshield of the car behind him. Another twist brought him back upright with his feet coming down hard on the skull of a forth outstretched Darkseeker. Like two similarly charged magnets, Ranma and the unfortunate creature parted – Ranma rocketing up into the air and the Darkseeker crashing down into the pavement.

The feel of air rushing past him as he soared through the skies reinvigorated the young martial artist. Back in his chosen element the pigtailed survivor hovered in the air just out of reach of his hungry pursuers. With each passing second fewer and fewer of the Darkseekers remained as more fell to the relentless barrage of darts that the mecha at the top of the parking garage launched into the fray.

With only a handful of the creatures left Ranma gracefully landed on a car roof. Cautiously he watched as the remaining Darkseekers gathered their fallen companions, or at least as many as they could, then retreated.

Unwilling to show any weakness or to lower his guard despite his exhaustion, the pigtailed martial artist stood atop a battered car. "You alright?" he asked once he was sure that the Darkseekers were no longer a threat.

"Yes," Su replied, her voice carrying clearly despite the microphone and speakers she was speaking through.

"You're not Japanese, are you?" Ranma asked.

"Nope," the younger girl replied, her smile evident even through the speakers.

"How'd you get here? Where are you from?"

"Hinata, in the Kanagawa Prefecture," the girl replied.

"Wow," Ranma muttered, "why are you in Nerima?"

"I was on my way back to Hinata from Tokyo when I got way laid by the weather," Su explained. "My suit lost flight capabilities and I've been trying to repair it. There was an electronics store nearby so I went there even though it's a bit out of my way."

"Why didn't you just stop in Tokyo?"

"Too many Darkseekers; and most of the stores there are destroyed or already looted."

Ranma nodded. If things were this bad in Nerima than how much worse were things in the large metropolis of Tokyo?

"So," he finally said, breaking the awkward silence, "it looks like we're stuck here tonight."

Su nodded, though the simple act couldn't be seen by the young man before her. "You're not wearing a mask," she noted.

"Oh, yeah, I guess I'm immune to the airborne strain, at least that's what Dr. Tofu tells me," he replied as he scratched his head.

"You have a doctor?"

Ranma nodded. Hopping off of the car he made his way over to her. "Yeah, there are a few of us left," he stated. "There's me, Ryoga, Akane, Kasumi, Mr. Tendo, Dr. Tofu, mom, pops, Ukyo and Kuno," he said counting them off on his fingers. "Ten of us are left."

"There were more?"

Ranma nodded.

"You're all related?"

"Akane and Kasumi are sisters; Mr. Tendo's their dad," Ranma explained. "Then there's me, mom, and pops, everyone else isn't related. Well, Kuno had a sister and his dad, but they both…"

"So resistance isn't genetic…." Su muttered.

"Yeah, Dr. Tofu thought that too. But it might have something to do with, what did he say, our common experiences."

"But it's a virus, not bacterial."

Ranma shrugged. "Don't look at me, I'm not a doctor."

A distant howl broke the pregnant silence.

"We should probably fortify our position," the pigtailed boy suggested, not sure what else to say. "Probably see if there's any fuel left in the cars. Then take inventory of what weapons you have left so we know what we can do to conserve what you've got left."

Su blinked - another action that was lost on her new companion. _Maybe I will make it till dawn_.

*****

Each distant and far off howl and roar sent a shiver down the elderly woman's spine. Though it had been several hours since sunset there had not been an attack on the compound. Nodoka couldn't help but wonder if that was because the Darkseekers had found easier prey in Ranma and whomever it was that he had gone off to rescue, or if it was because there were no more Darkseekers around to call out to the others.

"He's alright," Ukyo stated aloud. "I know he's alright. Ranma never loses."

Akane found herself nodding. It really wasn't like Ranma to lose. _He's a master of evasion, _she thought_, but I still manage to hit him_….

Despite the clear night air, the tension around the compound weighed everyone down. Even if there were no Darkseekers attacking the compound everyone inside had plenty on their minds.

_We don't have enough food stockpiled, _Ukyo thought to herself as she tried to distract herself_. But if we don't have Ranma than we're going to be serious stretched tight. Ryoga'd probably get lost, and Akane can't roof jump. I don't know if Happosai could be relied on to come back either_.

_Where is that boy?! He and Akane need to carry on the schools. _Genma cracked his knuckles as he gripped the gun. _I'm sure that any child of theirs wouldn't be affected by this silly virus. If they had some kids Dr. Tofu could probably find a cure._

_Where is he? He better not have found another girl. _Akane's eyebrow twitched as she strained scanned the ground for any sign of movement. _Knowing him he probably went off to check on some secret fiancée of his_.

_Nabiki!_ Soun thought as he fought to hold back his tears.

_Ranma, when you get back here I'm going to beat you to a bloody pulp!_ Surpressing a growl Ryoga cracked his neck as he sought to relieve the tension in his neck and shoulders.

_I hope that boy finds another cutie_, Happosai grumbled. _I need a change of scenery; I've seen everything that everyone here has and it's getting boring!_

Slowly the night wore on.

*****

A/N

Yes, another chapter. I've really been into this fic lately. Yes, I did post that short snippet of my newest fic, but I'm really into this one right now. I should get updates for my other fics up next month before football season starts (Pro, not college).

While I'm still looking for a beta for this fic, and others, I think I've done pretty well without them, at least for now.

Of course, don't expect things to go like the movie, or the anime/manga for Ranma and Love Hina. Expect plot twists and surprises.

Dreamingfox


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes –

Obviously I don't own either Ranma ½, Love Hina or I Am Legend. This is a work using the ideas, concepts, characters, and ideas from the three previously mentioned works and is solely for the purpose of personal enjoyment and not for profit.

While I do admit that this fic and all my other works are also for the preservation and continuation of humanity's long literary culture, this is fanfiction, so make of it what you will. I hope that you all continue to enjoy this fic. And if you don't, eh, it's not for everyone. We all have our own individual taste and I sincerely doubt that everyone out there enjoys this fic as much as I do (yes, I've seen the polls and the reviews, I know this fic isn't as popular as some of my other fics, or other fics in general).

Oh, and as I'm sure you've notice, I've bumped up the rating for this fic starting with the last chapter. Expect some lemon, and maybe lime too….

As always, please read and review.

*****

But after several days of sailing and fishing the young be-speckled man had only managed to catch squid; in particular Humbolt squid. Using his oar to beat a truly vicious invertebrate into submission the young man even managed to cut off several tentacles before the first of his victims had managed to flee. Even detached from the main body of his catch the still squirming tentacles resisted as much as they could. The work probably would have been easier if he'd been doing it under proper lighting, but in the dark of night and on a rocking boat, the clumsy youth did as best as he could.

After what seemed to be an eternity and several bloody fingers later Keitaro managed to fill a small bowl with the freshly cut strips of squid. Now if he only had rice…..

Sighing, he reached into his pack for something round. Even without much light he managed to pull out a lime (or was it a lemon?). Cutting it in half he squeezed half of the citrus fruit over the bowl.

"Citrus juice is acidic enough to cure fish," he mumbled to himself.

Having gone days without eating anything of substance (aside from sucking on some oranges, lemons, and some candy) the young man had to force himself to eat the raw meat. 

_I'm never going to look at squid the same way_.

After three days of eating just squid (dried and cured) the young man couldn't help but lament at his plight. _I wish I had some rice. Maybe I can get some the next time I go back ashore. _

*****

"I can't believe you brought another girl back!" Akane shouted.

"How did I know she was going to say that?" Ranma muttered to himself. He'd been back not even a few minutes and of course the uncute fiancée was going to stick to that point. _It doesn't matter that we brought back extra fuel, canned food, medical information about the virus, and survived a night outside of the compound; no she has to bring up another girl_.

"Sweeto!" Happosai shouted as he suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "Where is she? Where's the new cutie pie?"

"How dare you bring another useless commoner back here?!" Kuno shouted. "Even in these desperate times you dare to bring back another lover here you two" he paused for a second "three-timing cur!"

"Ranma-honey, what's going on?" Ukyo, apparently the only voice of reason shouted as she tried to be heard over everyone else. "Who is she?"

"Where is she?" the tiny letch shouted as he bounced around the small clearing.

"Hi!" Su greeted enthusiastically. Still inside of her mecha the foreign girl had done as Ranma had requested and stayed inside the armor.

"You brought back a mecha?" Ryoga exclaimed, astonished by the odd iron suit before him.

"Um, no," the pigtailed boy replied. "She's not immune to the airborne strain; that's why she's in the suit."

"Boy, why are you bringing more mouths for us to feed?" Genma shouted as he eyed the battered mecha.

"She's only going to stay here long enough to repair her suit," Ranma said as he stood between Su and the rest of the residents of the compound.

"But we're going to need everything that we have," Akane's voice cried out over the other voices.

"We don't have the hands or equipment to help her," Soun protested.

"She already picked up the parts she needs before I rescued her," Ranma explained, "so she already has the parts that she needs, she just needs a safe, secure place to fix her suit."

"But we don't have enough food to last," the bald old man that sired him shouted.

Several others voiced their objections – each different from the others. Frustrated and tired, the pigtailed boy finally had enough, "SHUT UP!!!"

For once everyone stopped talking, objecting, or complaining. For once, everyone listened.

"I promised Su that she could stay here to fix her suit," he said, glaring at anyone who even looked as though they were about to say anything. "If we're that low on rations then some of us are just going to have to go on a diet" he glared at his father "and if need be she can have my rations. I did manage to bring some food back, mostly canned meat, but some canned fruits and vegetables as well. After I get some sleep I'll hit up some of the abandoned shops by the high school. If anyone tries to bother Su while she's fixing her suit I'm going to be very irritated and take my frustrations out on anyone who would attempt to make me break my promise of sanctuary to Su."

Deliberately looking everyone in the eye until they either nodded or turned away, acknowledging or conceding the issue, he dared someone to speak up against him. With everyone having backed off of the issue at large Ranma turned back to his guest. Guiding her up to one of the many vacant rooms he led her.

"They shouldn't bother you now," he mumbled as he fought to stay awake.

"Thanks," Su said quietly.

Despite their struggles that previous night against the Darkseekers and getting safely to the compound the Ranma hadn't expected the resistance that the others at the compound had show. Exhausted but unwilling to leave his guest alone, Ranma seated himself against the door. Confidant that the others would not go against him, the pigtailed boy slipped into an unsteady slumber.

*****

The sound of splashing water woke the sleeping young man. Reflexively he reached for his glasses. Still unused to the rocking and swaying of the boat the uncoordinated man unbalanced himself in his hammock. A dizzying moment later the dazed and nearsighted youth found himself on the floor. Only the sound of footsteps on the deck seemed to break him from his stupor. Instinctively one hand found his glasses while the other reached for his shot gun.

Heedless of his state of dress (wearing only his tattered boxers) the young man steadied himself on the still rocking boat. Straining his ears he tried to place the footsteps. _Only one person, at the back of the ship_, he thought to himself.

Cautiously he quietly walked towards the stairs, gun at the ready should the intruder try and force their way into the small cabin. Though no longer night, it was still dark as storm clouds loomed in the sky. Still, it was enough light for him to make his way through the cabin and up the stairs without tripping bumping into anything. After taking only several steps Keitaro could see over the top of the stairs onto the deck. From the sounds of things whomever it was that had invaded his boat was busily stuffing their face with the drying and cured squid.

Taking another two steps the be-speckled boy eyed the intruder. The still wet blond, a young woman, probably no older than himself, stood hunched over the small stash of seafood as she stuffed her face.

"Freeze!" he forced out in a less than commanding voice.

The busty blond stood straight up. Though dirty and battered, her dripping wet tee-shirt clung to ample breasts. Even in the dim light it was clear that she wasn't wearing a bra. And the tight, tattered shorts revealed more than just her shapely legs.

_Pink!_ Despite the fact that the last people he'd seen had been shooting at him, Keitaro couldn't help but note that the busty woman before him was very attractive. Feeling something warm on his forehead the young man instinctively touched it. Inspecting his fingers he noted the warm red liquid covering them.

The swaying and rocking of the boat seemed to intensify as the young man suddenly found himself spinning. Lost in thought he failed to register the sound of his body hitting the wooden steps as he fell down the stairs.

*****

Ranma sleep soundlessly as he continued to maintain his vigil and prevent the others from interfering with the mad genius' work. Leaning against the flimsy rice paper door the pigtailed boy somehow managed to say in a sitting position while not putting too much pressure on the thin material that covered the door.

With a sigh the youngest Tendo daughter quickly turned around, leaving the sight of the abrasive and egotistical martial artist behind her. _I can't depend on him anymore_.

_But I don't depend on him_, another part of her mind shouted.

_Maybe, but I do hold him back_. I need to start pulling my own weight around her.

Frightened yet determined, she headed down to her own room.

"Oh, Akane," Ukyo called out as the short haired girl passed by the living room, "I thought you went up to wake up Ranma."

"He's dead tired," Akane replied, "so I decided that he should rest up. Just give me a minute to change then we can go out."

Dismissing the skeptical look that the 'cute fiancée' was giving her, Akane continued towards her room.

*****

"You're sure this is the way?" the auburn haired girl asked her companion.

"I'm sure of it," the raven haired martial artist replied. "The computer sensors picked up something on the second floor in this wing."

With a slightly skeptical look the busty older girl eyed her companion. Though she had spent a good part of the night on watch and seen no signs of anything on the second floor.

"I know that Su put considerable effort fortifying the second floor of each wing," the raven haired girl insisted, "but I saw something moving around."

"We should leave it to the automated defenses," Naru pleaded. Though she was loathed to admit it, Naru hated the night watch. Watching the infrared sensors and night vision monitors in their shades of red or green in the dark room (any other light would have attracted the Darkseekers' attention) had started to wear on her already strained eyes. But it was the horrible screams that haunted her. They weren't nameless creatures, they were her friends. Shinobu, Sarah, Seta, Haruka, and Kitsune had all spent a lot of time at the Hinata Sou. Six months ago she couldn't have imagined that her best friend, her longtime crush and his daughter, and everyone else, would have become blood thirty vampire/zombies. The reality of the situation made every bad zombie/monster video game seem much milder and tamer than she had dared dream.

"Narusagawa," Motoko shouted, trying to get her companion's attention.

"Huh?" the spaced out girl replied.

"You were drifting off," the raven haired girl stated.

"Oh, sorry," the older girl apologized.

"I know you're tired, but we need to check this out," the slender martial artist said. "If something got in here it might mean that Su's defense have begun to fail. We need to be prepared to leave here if necessary."

Naru gulped. As much as she hated to think that her friends were no longer going to be here with her, she was never even dared to think that she would have to leave this sanctuary despite the apparent danger that her former friends presented to her and Motoko (and Su once she got back).

Fighting off her wiriness the auburn haired girl followed her companion.

"There's a light switch over here," she stated as she flicked on the lights. Turning back to her companion Naru immediately tensed as she saw the bokken wielding girl stiffen and go on the defensive. Had someone managed to break in? Or had the Darkseekers found a way around Su's defenses?

"Tu-turtle!" Motoko shrieked as she began to swipe at the air.

"Myuh!" a familiar voice eked out.

"Hmmm…" a human voice grumbled, "could you turn off the light? I just crawled in here to get some sleep."

"Turtle!" the raven haired girl screamed again as she began to flail her arms.

"Mutsumi!" Naru shouted as she tackled the out of control kendo practitioner. "You're alive!"

"Hmmm," the anemic girl replied as she stood up. "I am? I'm not in heaven then?"

Wrapping her arms around the slender Motoko, Naru managed to pin the other girl's arms to her side. "Tama-chan, could you leave us alone for a bit?"

"Myuh," the flying turtle exclaimed as it flew out of the room, leaving on the three girls.

After a few moments of untangling their limbs Motoko and Naru stood up. Straightening her outfit Motoko took a deep, calming breath.

"Oh my god, she's dead!" Naru shouted as she watched the busty older girl's spirit begin to leave her body. "Just when I thought she was back she goes and dies on us!"

Clinging to the older girl Naru trembled as she sobbed.

"Oh my, you've really got a firm grip," Mutsumi stated as she miraculously revived. "I don't know that I can get any rest with you holding onto me like that."

*****

"Uhh," the young man grumbled as he slowly regained consciousness. Peeling his eyes open he could barely make out the cabin's ceiling. Needing his glasses he instinctively reached out as he searched blindly.

"Hmm?" he managed to get out as his hand latched onto something soft and slightly squishy. Squeezing the object he noted that it was much larger than he could fit into his hand, and much firmer than squid….

Eyes opened wide, the young man tried to sit up. Unfortunately the hammock, gravity, and his own clumsiness caused him to lose hold of the warm, soft flesh he'd been holding onto as he fell out of the evil hammock. Rather than hitting the ground hard as he had before Keitaro managed to break his fall as he tumbled into something on his way down.

The feel of a knee pressed against his ribs was lost amid the softness of the warm, flat stomach that managed to save him from another concussion. As near sighted as he was even Keitaro could tell that he the slightly fuzzy objects before his eyes weren't grapefruits (or melons).

"Um, here are your glasses," the girl said as she calmly put his glasses on for him. Though she spoke clear and unbroken English there was something about her accent that reminded him of former classmates. "You're Japanese?"

"Yes," he replied with a nod. With his sight restored Keitaro got a good look at the girl beneath him. The busy blond and her crooked smile wasn't much older than himself or his former classmates, maybe a few years at best separated the two. Though his eyes wanted to examine the girl's tattered shirt (which barely contained her impressive breasts, the milky white flesh….) Keitaro forced himself to focus on her still smiling face. Pushing himself into a sitting position he felt the bindings on his head.

"Tina, Tina Foster," the blond said as she held out her hand. "I speak Japanese too."

"Keitaro Urashima," he replied as he took her hand.

"Sorry if I'm invading your privacy," Tina said in perfect Japanese. "I saw your light from the docks and same out to your boat."

Nodding gingerly Keitaro noted the uneasy feeling he got as he moved his head.

"I guess you must have hit your head before," the blond stated. "When you came up onto the deck your head was bleeding and then you suddenly fell back down the steps. I did what I could to bandage your head, but I'm not really that good with first aid."

Blinking back the pain Keitaro nodded again.

"Where'd you learn to speak such fluent Japanese?"

Grinning Tina ruffled her short blond hair. "I spent a lot of time in Japan. I used to live in Hakata, a ward in Fukuoka City."

Another nod confirmed that he knew of the district, though he had never gone there himself.

"Were you a tourist?" she asked. "I've seen plenty of Japanese guys in California, but not that many once the outbreak."

Shaking his head Keitaro blinked again as he focused his eyes on Tina's face (and not the pert nipples that the white fabric barely covered). "I was a student," he explained. "I was part of the exchange program that came to L.A. for the archeology dig in San Diego."

"What school were you with?"

"Todai."

"Oh, Tokyo U? I went to Meiritsu University, but I always remembered that everyone thought Todai was the best."

Nodding again Keitaro tried to get to his feet.

"Oh, let me help you," the bubbly blond stated as she quickly sprang to her feet. "You shouldn't strain yourself in your state."

The tall blond quickly pulled him to his feet, bringing another wave of nausea to the concussed young man.

"I think the sea's steady enough that you can sleep in the bed," Tina stated as she helped him over to the bed.

*****

"You're sure about this?" Ukyo asked as she eyed Akane.

A firm nod of her head answered that question. "Ranma needs his sleep if he's going to be of any use to us tonight. I can take his spot today; he'll just have to make up for it tomorrow."

_With this on not even Ranma can keep up with me_, the short haired girl thought as she brushed some dirt off of her battle dougi. _With my full potential brought out I can handle anything_.

"Fine," Ukyo shrugged. "We're going to head out towards the Cat Café. There were plenty of shops in the neighborhood – hopefully we'll be able to scavenge something of use there, maybe even some decent food."

Notching an arrow the short haired girl took aim before letting it fly. Even at over seventy meters she could hear the arrow's solid strike against the telephone pole. With Ukyo tying their end of the rope off she waited for the other girl to confirm that the rope was ready.

"You're sure about this?" Ryoga shouted as he helped support the short exit tower that they had set up.

"We'll be fine," Akane replied. _We don't need Ranma for everything_.

Leaping up onto the rope Akane nimbly cleared the fence and moat before jumping off of the rope. Signaling that she everything was clear she waited for Ukyo to join her. Together the pair headed off towards the Cat Café. Running at swift pace the two martial artists made the most of the bright day as they stayed clear of the ruined building and dark vacant buildings that the two or three dozen Darkseekers favored. Though both knew that roof hopping would have been faster than just running, they knew that even with the battle dougi Akane lacked the grace necessary to gently land on the buildings without caving in the roof.

"We're here," Ukyo announced as she spoke into her walkie talkie.

"Okay," Ryoga replied. "Let me know if you find anything."

*****

For the blond things had not gone as planned. True, she had dreaded leaving her friends (and long time love/crush) behind when she'd left Japan. Having been raised in Japan the tall blond never felt completely at ease in either Japan or America as she always stood out. Sure, she looked like every other Caucasian American once she'd returned to the States, but she acted and spoke differently. Always the outsider, she had returned to America with no support network aside from her distant family in Texas. Being stuck in L.A. had been both a blessing and a curse as there was a large population of Japanese Americans, though few had actually been to Japan, they at least were able to speak the language that she had come to love and enjoy. But it was the same language that haunted her as she desperately wanted to return to her adoptive country and her old friends.

With the pandemic caused by the Krippin Virus, Tina quickly got lost in the shuffle and bustle of L.A. With no friends or family in the area she had become one of the many displaced people lost in the shuffle and panic. Finding and securing a boat had been hard enough, but finding a spot in one of the many fortified communes or mansions was next to impossible unless you were connected or wealthy.

Even the Navy's mighty ships had not been enough as what seemed like a fleet of huge metal ships departed with hundreds, possibly thousands of uninfected civilians, leaving the rest with the already infected inhabitants of the city. Boats and smaller ships had been filled to capacity, many sinking or tipping due to the sheer number of people that were packed on them, though more than a few collided with other packed ships as people fled to the sea. After a day of chaos in the bay the waters had turned red as sharks began to feed on the unfortunate masses that clung to the sinking or tipped vessels.

Though she had been one of the few who had made it to one of the rocky inlets, Tina had at the time counted her blessings as the low tide allowed her to access one of the light houses on an outlying island. Though it wasn't stocked with much there were some seals, goats, and chickens that had inhabited the island (not to mention the ferrets and cats that kept the rat population in check). The caretaker had even had a small garden of tomatoes, beans, and other vegetables as well as a fully stocked cellar. All it lacked was a boat. As good a swimmer as she was Tina doubted her ability to swim back to the mainland. Not to mention the number of aggressive squid, sharks and killer whales that swam the waters of the bay.

Still, her luck was turning. Now she wasn't alone. Not only that, but he spoke Japanese!

Smiling at her good fortune, Tina couldn't help but wonder if her old friends back in Japan were doing well. Hopefully that isolated island nation would escape the deadly virus. Offering a small prayer the blond closed her eyes.

For the first time in a long time she was no longer alone.

*****

The light ringing of her alarm clock told the young girl that she was long past her personal deadline. In just a few short hours the sun would set, making it all the harder for her to return to the Hinata Sou. Though she didn't doubt that she could make the journey, she knew that it would be much harder without the flight option of Mecha Tama (version 11.1). Though the suit had converted the extra materials into weapons (mostly metal slugs and netting) and could go the entire night, Su knew that she as an operator would not be operating at 100% efficiency. Running on pure adrenaline the tiny but energetic girl knew she'd need to sleep and soon.

Checking the final panal she nodded grimly. She'd definitely have to make the trip home on foot. Climbing into the mecha she waited for the hatch to close then for the cockpit to depressurize before removing her hazmat suit.

Breathing the fresh recycled air the energetic blond leaned back in her seat she started up the suit. A quick steam bath allowed her to remain seated and clean herself for the day ahead. "Full system check," she said to herself as she initiated the check. Though she could initiate all the commands and options that Mecha Tama (version 11.1) had the many buttons at her disposal, she'd found that verbal commands were much more fun.

Numbers and gauges soon filled the front monitor, displaying the maximum effectiveness of the armor, weapons, and generators. Though it would not be running at 100% the inventive girl was confident that she could get home. All she needed was a few hours of sleep.

*****

"Hurry up!" Ryoga shouted as he eyed the horizon. "You've got less then twenty minutes until the sun gets low enough that you'll be forced to roof hop!"

"We know that," Ukyo replied though she didn't bother to speak into the walkie talkie. Despite the fact that the sun had not set in the western horizon the long shadows cast by the slowly lowering sun and the many houses provided more than enough cover for the Darkseekers as they pursued the pair of girls.

"I can't believe that you let them go alone," Ranma shouted as he stood atop the wall.

"Well if you hadn't spent the night out there last night I wouldn't have let them," Ryoga shot back.

The pigtailed boy growled. Though was partially his fault he had told everyone that he'd cover his duties. Akane didn't have to be stupid and run off on her own. Even with her battle dougi she wasn't a match for him (in either form). But no, she had to prove that she didn't need him around to protect her.

"I'm going after them," he shouted as he leapt onto the rope over his head. Once clear of the fence and the moat the pigtailed boy jumped off. Grabbing the discarded nylon cord from the previous day's venture he turned back to Ryoga. "Cut the line!"

Gritting his teeth Ryoga nodded as he untied the line. As much as he hated to admit it, he'd have to trust is greatest rival. If anyone could find a way to get out of a sticky situation it was Ranma.

*****

A/N

Okay, I'm going to have to end the chapter here. I know, it's cruel to leave it like it is, but I can't help it. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon.

Tina Foster. Let's see if anyone knows where she's from.

As always, please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Notes –

Being the unimaginative fanfiction writer that I am, I of course do not own Ranma 1/2, Love Hina, Ai Yori Aoshi, or I am Legend. If I did I'd actually have something worth suing over.

Yes, Tina Foster is fro Ai Yori Aoshi. No, I'm not going to include anyone else from that manga. I just kinda felt bad for leaving Keitaro all alone. It's more fun to tease him with a busty, attractive blond (not that I like blonds, I much prefer redheads) tagging along then leaving him all alone. That and I really couldn't justify having Keitaro be as good as Robert Neville and survive everything like Robert did.

Yeah, not a very active chapter last time, but as I told someone in one of my reviews for their work, sometimes we just need some filler to help move the story.

Time wise, I know that California and Japan are on different time zones, but I'm treating it as the same day, because technically it is the same day. So don't treat it as being anything other than a change in scenes.

As to Akane's battle dougi; well we never see it again in the manga after the chapter/arc that it appears in, but at the end of that arc/chapter we do see it at the table with everyone else who is eating. I presume that it's still around, just that Akane never really felt the need to use it again. But with desperate times come desperate measures.

I've also posted a new poll up on my profile, actually posted it after the last chapter, but it's never too late to push it. Let me know what you think.

*****

Keitaro couldn't help but note that the gentle rolling waves of the bay/sea had died down considerably. The dim fading light crept into the cabin from the open door suggested that it was dusk, possibly sunset. Groaning as he forced himself into a sitting position Keitaro could feel the multiple bumps and bruises that he'd incurred while falling down the stairs earlier.

"Hey, you're up!" the chipper blond shouted as she virtually jumped down the stairs and into the cabin.

"What-"

"Seafood alfredo," Tina said cutting him off. "I took the boat back to the lighthouse. There's a nearly completely stocked storage cellar with pickled vegetables, canned fruits, canned and smoked meats, several chickens, and a garden."

Blinking as he took in the information Keitaro tried to keep up with the energetic blond. _I thought blonds were supposed to be ditzy, I never heard that they were this energetic_.

"I've anchored us fifty meters off the shore of the island," Tina explained as she handed Keitaro a plate of the food. "It should be deep enough here that even with low tide we're at least twenty meters from shore."

Keitaro nodded.

"I think we should have enough room to move most of the canned and pickled food onto the boat," the blond continued. "It'll probably take a few days at the most, but we should have enough fuel to take us up the coast at least. We'll also have some tackle for deep sea fishing as well."

Shoving a forkful of food into her mouth the bubbly girl eyed Keitaro as he sniffed the food. Taking a bite of the creamy food he nodded. It wasn't as good as Shinobu's cooking, but few could cook like she could. Still, it was much better than eating raw squid (without rice or grated radish) by itself.

*****

"Where are you?" Ryoga's voice screamed out of the walkie talkie.

"We're by Dr. Tofu's clinic," Ukyo answered as she glanced at Akane. "There's five, maybe six Darkseekers chasing after us."

"How far behind are they?" the directionless wonder asked.

"Twenty meters," the okonomiyaki chef shouted, "and slowly gaining. There are two in the lead who are right behind us, the rest are further back."

Listening to his walkie talkie Ranma knew that the girls were going to be hard pressed. _They should have planned to leave earlier._

While roof hopping was much faster than simply running, it was also harder to pin point just where Akane and Ukyo were as they tended to take a less direct route than he did. If they were headed back towards the Tendo's house they'd have been walking along the river, but as they were heading to the Kuno compound their route was much different. Only his frequent trips to the clinic over the past few months had given the young martial artist a better recollection of the area but only enough for him to recall the fastest route to the clinic.

"I see you!" Ukyo shouted into her walkie talkie.

Spotting his childhood friend's head as he leapt into the air Ranma knew he needed to quickly change his direction. Looping one end of the rope he threw it so that it caught on one of the many telephone poles. Swinging around so that he now faced Ukyo and Akane the pigtailed martial artist landed at the end of the street with the girls now running directly towards him.

"Take to the roof!" he shouted. Though not as fast as he was, Ranma knew that the chef was at least fast enough to keep the Darkseekers a good distance away.

Despite the fact that the magical outfit brought Akane to her full potential it was clear that Akane was not as fast as Ukyo or Ranma. Relying on sheer power would only go so far as Akane slowed down each time she plowed through a wall, giving away precious seconds to the faster Darkseekers.

Grabbing a handful of bricks the pigtailed boy hurtled them at the Darkseekers. Though they were a good forty meters away the bricks slowed them down enough so that they weren't gaining as much ground on the girls.

"Keep going!" he ordered Akane as she passed by him. _Twenty yards_, he thought as he began to back pedal, letting bricks fly with each step. Leaping up onto the roof he grabbed several clay shingles before landing. Flinging the shingles the pigtailed boy knew that it was more important to simply delay them rather than actually connecting with them. Still, connecting was good.

"We've got a problem!" Ukyo shouted over the walkie talkie. "Looks like another group of Darkseekers is trying to cut us off before we can get back to the compound."

"Can you make it back?" Ranma shouted, completely forgetting that he had not pressed the button on his walkie talkie.

"It's not good," the chef cried out.

Leaping high into the air Ranma spotted the three Darkseekers as they ran towards the Kuno compound ahead of the trio of survivors.

Several bright flashes appeared over the Kuno compound as someone laid covering fire for the trio. The sound of several gun shots filled the air briefly, only to be followed by the sound of the Darkseekers howling in pain and rage as one of them skidded to a halt.

Taking the initiative Ranma threw the rest of his projectiles at the pursuing Darkseekers before turning his attention back to Akane and Ukyo. Springing back down to the street Ranma scooped up Akane. Even with her and the food she'd collected the nimble martial artist knew he could at least maintain if not increase the distance between himself and the pursuing Darkseekers.

"What are you doing?!" Akane shouted in protest as the pigtailed martial artist took too the rooftops again.

"Just shut up!" he ordered as he scanned the area ahead of him. Though the 'uncute' fiancée stopped complaining she refused to stay still.

The setting sun cast long shadows, making the streets all the more dangerous as the Darkseekers became emboldened by the lack of their primary nemesis. No longer restrained by the light overhead the creatures began to take to the rooftops as they chased after the fleeing trio.

Two more shots rang out as the shooters on the towers sought to delay or even stop the Darkseekers in the lead group.

_Not good_, Ranma thought as he neared the compound. "Drop the food."

Akane blinked as she looked him in the face. "What?!"

"Drop it," he huffed out as he descended onto another rooftop. Automatically his legs and feet propelled him back into the air. "Drop it right before I land on the next roof."

"But we're going to lose all that food," Akane protested.

"It's not like anyone's going to touch it," Ranma rationalized. "The Darkseekers don't care about canned food; hell, they don't care about anything that doesn't have warm, hot blood in it. Just drop the food and we'll come back and get it tomorrow."

Reluctantly the muscle-headed tomboy gave in. As the pair descended she dropped the pack full of food on the rooftop.

Instead of landing and jumping quickly as per usual the pigtailed boy shifted Akane once she dropped the food. Twisting his body so that they spun around, he caught sight of their pursuers. _Twenty-five_, the thought as he gauged the distance between himself and the closest of the Darkseekers. Landing he continued the spin as he pushed himself off of the rooftop.

As a lifelong practitioner of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Ranma was almost a master of aerial battling and possessed an innate understanding of physics that he really couldn't put into words (or numbers and equations). Spinning in the air he threw Akane, projecting all the force in his jump along with their spin into the short haired girl as he sent her flying high into the air.

_If she doesn't make it over the fence I'm going to have to tell her to go on a diet_, Ranma thought as he dropped out of the air. Snatching his walkie talkie he pressed down on the button, "Ryoga, you better catch her; I'm not sure if she's able to land it on her own without breaking something!"

The silence on the walkie was all he needed. Placing his trust in his long time rival Ranma quickly moved to catch up with Ukyo and the lone Darkseeker that the chef was facing off with. Watching their pitched battle the young martial artist knew that things were not going well for Ukyo. Spent from the long run, the okonomiyaki chef was clearly pushing the limits in regards to her stamina and endurance. Though she was still faster than her opponent it was clear that that edge was slowly vanishing. With her trusty battle spatula in hand Ukyo was just barely keeping her opponent at bay.

Regardless of its apparent disadvantage the creature lunged at the cross-dressing chef. Lashing out instinctively Ukyo caught it with the edge of her spatula, severing the creature's head and neck down to its torso. The sickening sound of the blunt metal edge crushing the skull and several vertebra twisted Ranma's stomach even as he raced towards his childhood friend.

Frozen by the shock of what she'd done Ukyo simply stood there, her hands trembling as she gripped her weapon.

The roars of several other Darkseekers told Ranma that the rest of the pack was not far behind. With no time to be gentle Ranma tackled the okonomiyaki chef as he ran by. Shifting her position so that he had her in a fireman's carry he hoped that they could come back for the weapon in the morning.

Running to get some momentum behind him, Ranma charged at the closest Darkseeker rather than run to the closest building. Waiting for the creature to lung at him Ranma spun as he jumped. Lashing out with a kick to the face he planted his food on the creature's forehead and kicked off, robbing the creature of its momentum and adding it to his own as he threw Ukyo over the moat and the fence. Though he couldn't get her past the second moat he would at least ensure that her safety. All she'd need to do was get to the main gate to get back inside. Failing that she could at least rely on the safety that the first moat and the electrified fence provided her for the rest of the night.

Shots rang out from the watchtower as more and more Darkseekers approached the compound and the tasty morsel that stood outside of its fortifications.

Facing off with the Darkseeker that he'd kicked in the face Ranma offhandedly noted that it was wearing the remains of a skin-tight body suit, almost like a leotard. Instinctively he lashed out with a kick to the creature's jaw as it lunged at him, sending it flying in the direction that it had come from.

Running towards the Ryoga-made pond on the compound's southern edge, Ranma hoped that the cold water would be enough to keep the creatures at bay. Diving in head first Ranma felt his body change as he broke the surface of the cold water. Kicking her feet she stayed under the water as long as possible before finally surfacing some ten meters from the shore.

A rain of stones, broken shingles, and hand-sized objects greeted the redhead as the infuriated Darkseekers howled from the shore. The larger objects (boulders or chunks of wall/fence/car parts the size of her head or bigger) fell well short of her (maybe a meter or two at least) the smaller objects failed to connected due to poor accuracy from the throwers. Moving into the deeper water and further from the shore Ranma grumbled at the prospect of spending the night in the cold water. It was going to be another long night.

*****

Tina sighed contently as she clutched her pillow. It'd been a long time since she'd had any sort of company. Not since Japan actually. Listening to Keitaro's gentle, shallow breaths as he lay in couch she smiled. She wasn't alone anymore, that was all that mattered right now.

For his part Keitaro really couldn't sleep. Aside from the concussion he'd suffered during the day (weren't you supposed to keep concussed victims awake for the first 24 hours?) the young man was freezing. Though the lighthouse had a pretty well stocked cellar there were a few things that were lacking – blankets and clothes. Only a thin blanket and a roaring fire had kept the energetic girl warm at night and her nearly non-existent clothes really didn't do much other than give her a good tan. After spending a few days on the run and in the same clothes, Keitaro had begun to smell fairly ripe. Tina at least had the luxury of bathing in the ocean, though it had left her with a thin film of salt and dirt. Then there was the fact that she had lost all of her clothes (except for what little she was still wearing) prior to making her way to the island.

Hearing Keitaro's chattering teeth the busty and bubbly blond had to re-evaluate her last thought. While she wasn't alone, it clearly was not all that mattered. It was cold, and with only one thin blanket apiece, they weren't likely to make it through the night.

"Um," she said, announcing that she was still awake, "are you still awake Keitaro?"

"Yeah."

"Are you, um, cold?" she asked.

A long, pregnant silence answered her as Keitaro tried to assess the situation. Yes, he was cold, but he really couldn't share a bed with someone he'd just met, could he? Besides, she was naked, and so was he (Tina had insisted that he bathe and wash his clothes); it wouldn't be right….. But he was cold….

"Yeah, it's cold."

Another pregnant silence filled the cabin.

"Why don't you, um, come over here? We're both clean, and I'm pretty sure neither of us bite, so as long as we're just trying to stay warm, it might be better if we slept together."

Keitaro gulped. It had gone just as he feared. Could he really handle sleeping in the same bed with a naked girl? What would Naru and the others say? Then again, he really hadn't had a good night's sleep in so long… "Okay, if you, um, don't mind."

"Yeah, sure, it's okay."

Sitting up, Keitaro wrapped the thin blanket around his lanky body before standing up and hopping over to the bed. Making sure that Tina wasn't looking, he quickly unwrapped himself before throwing the blanket over her own. Lifting the cover he crawled under the blankets and joined the tall blond in the cramped bed.

Clearly the single bed was not designed for two adults to share. Sure, it was tall enough for Tina, and was wide enough for one to sleep comfortably. Laying on his back Keitaro could feel his leg and arm sliding out from beneath the blankets and off of the bed. Instinctively he rolled onto his side despite the fact that his shoulder was brushing against Tina's warm back. Curling into a spooning position he could feel the warmth from her body.

_Wow, she's pretty tone_, Keitaro thought as he felt her press her back against his chest.

_Wow, he's not a scrawny as I thought he was_, Tina's thought as she felt his warm body press against hers. Grabbing his hand she wrapped his arm around her stomach.

"Good night," he mumbled, blowing his warm breath into the nape of her neck.

"Hmm," she replied, "night."

*****

"Su's alright," Motoko shouted as the monitor displaying various gauges inside of Su's suit came to life.

Naru and Mutsumi quickly stood up and ran over to the raven haired girl as she turned to focus on the various gauges.

"Can we communicate with her?" the auburn haired girl asked as she eyed the monitor.

"No, I don't think so," Motoko replied as she looked at the various buttons on the control panel before her. "Su might know for sure if she was here, but I can't make heads or tails out of this."

Silently Mutsumi nodded.

"At least we know she's alright," Naru stated as she pointed at a gauge on the screen. "I think that says that her engine is offline, but that's her weapon systems" she pointed to a gun and the half full bar that probably meant the number of bullets that she had left "and that" she pointed to a trio of the letter 'z' "must mean she's asleep."

"She must be somewhere safe enough that she can sleep soundly at night," Mutsumi concluded. "I doubt that she'd fall asleep at night unless she was safe."

Both Naru and Motoko nodded. It really did make sense.

Excited and relieved at the news of their missing mad scientist, Naru crawled back into the mattress. It had been a long day, and her shift would start in a few hours. Giving into her need for sleep the auburn haired girl wrapped herself in her blanket.

Only the gentle rustling of the blanket told her that she wasn't alone in the bed. The feel of warm, soothing hands grabbing her own suggested that it was Mutsumi who had joined her.

"Are you worried at all about Keitaro?" the older girl asked as she lay down.

A knot suddenly appeared in Naru's throat. It'd been so long since she'd seen him, and so much had happened. She'd expected him to return with Seta before the virus had hit the west coast of the Americas, but for some reason the older man had returned alone.

"That idiot's too stupid to be affected by the virus," she finally said. "He's just a horny little pervert."

"Actually he's kind of sweet," the older girl stated. "He's always been good to you."

Forcing the knot out of her throat Naru grumbled, "I barely know him."

Even with her eyes closed Naru knew that the other girl way eyeing her skeptically.

"Even though you may think you only met him, what does your heart say?" the older girl asked.

With her stomach tied into knots Naru reflexively clenched her hands, squeezing Mutsumi's hands in the process. "I… I barely know him."

Gently, Mutsumi pressed her forehead against her younger companion's. "Let me tell you a story.

"Once, long ago, there was this sickly young girl. Her loving parents did everything that they could to make that little girl feel better. They took her to see doctors, to many hospitals, but none of those smart men and women could do anything to make this girl better.

"With all their hopes for curing their little girl nearly gone, they had nearly given up. One day a nice young woman told them about a special hot springs that was said to be able to cure any ailment. Taking the woman's advice they took their daughter to this hot springs where she was given daily treatments. Slowly the little girl got better, but she was still very sickly and weak.

"One day a little boy appeared and took the little girl outside to play. The two little children had so much fun that the girl forgot about her treatment. At first her parents were mad at the little boy, but after seeing their sickly daughter playing and having fun like normal children they decided to let her stay a little longer.

"Day after day the two played together, and the little girl got better and better.

"Then one day another little girl arrived. Though her mother worked at the hot springs she had not one to play with, no one except the other two little children. The three of them played together everyday, the older little girl and the little boy both took care of the younger girl. Though they had a lot of fun, there were times when the younger girl's illness would make it impossible for her to play with them.

"Wanting the first little girl to be happy and well, the little boy told her about a magical place called Todai. He told her that if two people promised to meet each other at Todai that they could conquer and defeat anything, even her illness."

"You're that little girl, aren't you?" Naru whispered.

Mutsumi smiled, "Just listen to the story.

"As I was saying; the little boy and the little girl promised to go to Todai together. The second little girl was sad that she wasn't part of their little promise, but she was still happy because her friends were happy.

"At the end of the summer the first little girl was feeling much better. Because she was doing much better her parents decided to take her home.

"The little boy was sad that his friend was leaving, but he had made his promise to her. They would both go to Todai and meet there one day.

"Soon afterwards the little boy went home as well, leaving the second little girl all alone.

"The next summer the first little girl came back. But because she was too little and too young, she'd forgotten the promise she made with the little boy. Not wanting her friend to forget the promise she'd made, the second little girl made a promise with the first little girl that they would both go to Todai.

"That second little girl was me," Mutsumi stated.

Naru blinked. She'd been certain that the busty brunette had been Keitaro's promise girl.

"The first little girl was you," the brunette added. "Back when you were two years old you were very sickly. But because Keitaro and I played with you and loved you, you got better."

"But you, you love Keitaro too!"

Mutsumi nodded. "But I love you as well. I want you both to be happy; to be happy together."

A tear ran down Naru's cheek. "But…. He's not here."

"No, he's not here right now," Mutsumi clarified. "But I have faith in him, just as you do; though you may not be willing to admit it. I know you believe that he's trying to return to Todai and to you."

Wrapping her arm around the younger girl Mutsumi pulled her in for a comforting hug. "Always believe in him, no matter what happens. Keitaro will return to you."

Motoko wiped a tear out of her eyes, "Damned I must have gotten something in my eyes."

*****

The sound of bones breaking as he snapped the creature over his knee was exhilarating. With his extra appendages the monstrous Taro rarely was able to enjoy a good fight. True, Ranma, Happosai and Rogue were always a good challenge, but even with them he couldn't really cut loose like this.

Wrapping a tentacle around the head of another Darkseeker Taro snapped its neck before throwing it forcefully into another unfortunate Darkseeker. The sound of broken bones brought a wicked smile to the already disfigured visage that Taro had. Another tentacle wrapped itself around the leg of a Darkseeker. Lifting the poor soul into the air he quickly slammed it into the hard cement ground, finishing the last of the Darkseekers.

Though he would never again be able to enjoy his human form, Taro couldn't help but think that he was better off this way. No longer would he need to try and conform to the narrow minded societies and cultures. With the world the way it was he could reveal in his strength.

That and there was no one around to call him Pantyhose Taro.

With a truly wicked grin the large monstrous creature slammed his fist into the wall as he exited the ruined building. His large, powerful wings propelled him into the air as the building he'd just vacated slowly crumbled in on itself.

His body still filled with adrenaline, Taro failed to notice the slight ting of pain in one of his tentacles where one of the unfortunate Darkseekers had bitten him.

*****

A/N

Sigh… a short chapter by my standards. I wanted to do something slightly different, but it'll have to wait for the next chapter. Expect more action as well.

I really needed to set up Naru and Keitaro. Though I personally like Motoko, I think Mutsumi is a better match for Keitaro than Naru. Still, they work out pretty well, much better than Ranma/Akane.

I think I'm spoiling the few readers I have as I've been updating this fic a lot lately. It's probably because I really enjoy writing this fic (though readers of my fics are clamoring for my other more notable crossovers). This fic really is taking off on its own. I had initially thought to play up the magical curses and have the cursed forms be immune to the Krippin Virus, and have Ranma all alone with only the cursed forms of Ryoga, Genma, and Taro as his companions, then I decided to have Ranma find some bit of happiness. I was even planning to ship him with Motoko once I decided to throw Love Hina into the mix. That said, ships are still undecided as I'm not sure who's going to survive the coming chapters.

As I said before, I just didn't feel right about leaving Keitaro all by himself, and finding a good character for him to be with (traveling, not shipping, though they are on a ship/boat together) was pretty difficult. Don't expect any more characters from Aoi Yori Aoishi to appear either, though they may make cameos, they won't be permanent additions to the fic.

I also didn't plan on throwing Shampoo and Mousse into the mix, but we'll see how they affect the overall story.

So many changes and additions…. I just hope everyone that is reading this is enjoying this little fic.

Dreamingfox


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Notes –

Being the unimaginative fanfiction writer that I am, I of course do not own Ranma 1/2, Love Hina, Ai Yori Aoshi, or I am Legend. If I did I'd actually have something worth suing over.

I have to say, this fic just wants out. Regardless of how much I've written for it so far, there's a lot more that I want to do and share with you all. I'm probably updating this fic even sooner/faster than I did with RWW. Probably because there's so much more I can do with this fic (not constrained by the sources) and still haven't (or at least don't completely stick to) formulated a plan for where this is going.

I hope that everyone who's read this fic (and all my other fics) continues to enjoy this fic as much as I do. While there is a smaller following for this fic than my other ones, I do believe that this fic stands on its own because there is less substance confining the pace and direction of this fic. As always, please Read and Review.

*****

Few people who truly knew him would have ever considered him to be a morning person. No, Keitaro was a slacker who loved to sleep in. True, he could get up when necessary, and could get work done when necessary, but one of the primary reasons why he had been a three time ronin was because he couldn't wake up and focus his attention in the morning.

That had all changed the morning after he'd picked up Tina. Stuck with just the two thin blankets between them, the two survivors had been forced to bunk together to preserve their fuel (rather than wasting electricity or fuel to heat either the cabin or the light house while they were there). It didn't help that Tina was a very attractive young woman (with full, perky breasts) or that she slept naked (due to a serious lack of any functional clothes).

Though they had become accustomed to sleeping together at night, Keitaro couldn't help but force himself to wake up early each morning. Claiming that he wanted to protect her (and his) modesty by leaving the cabin to change/get dressed and to give her some privacy as she dressed (they had managed to throw together a patch work shirt and skirt from the remains of the American and Californian flag), Keitaro was too embarrassed to admit the real reason he needed to excuse himself so early in the morning.

The simple bodily phenomenon that most young men (and teenage boys) experienced every morning embarrassed the inexperienced 21 year old virgin. It didn't help that he often woke up with his erection pressed against Tina's firm ass or with his hand somewhere it shouldn't be.

And while Naru and Motoko often proclaimed that he was nothing more than a pervert, in truth, things probably would have been easier if he had been a pervert. As it was Keitaro wasn't just a virgin, he was inexperienced. Growing up he'd heard of other guys 'stimulating' themselves, but being the weak willed boy that he was he'd never actually built up the courage to 'stimulate' himself until he'd moved into the Hinata Sou and surrounded himself with so many lovely ladies. Only at the insistence of Shirai and Haitani had he dared to watch a porno (two live-action and one animated). Though he had hated watching those DVD's at the time, Keitaro couldn't help but think that that had helped him endure his time at the Hinata Sou. It had definitely saved him from having to air out his wet mattress in the mornings (and subjecting himself to further humiliation from the girls).

Waking up that first morning had been… well, memorable, and not in the good way. The sight of a completely naked Tina had been good and bad – good in that she at least didn't have to wash his blood out of her clothes, bad in that it wasn't Naru whom he'd seen naked first. True, she was across the ocean, but still, his heart belonged to her (even if she couldn't work up the courage to tell her how she felt).

Still, as he 'relieved' himself that morning he couldn't help but think of the busty (though not as busty as Tina) auburn haired girl. His vivid imagination combined with his many incidental glances at Naru (not to mention Kitsune, Mutsumi, and Motoko) resulted in what was at first a jigsaw puzzle that he had envisioned in the past, but seeing Tina completely naked (though only from the side and back) had changed his vision. Pasting Naru's face on Tina's body (and altering Tina's skin tone to match Naru's face) provided him with a new image.

That at least solved the issue of not bleeding (or leaving other bodily fluids) all over the blankets (which were much courser after having to be washed and dried once) each morning/night, but it didn't help with his new, daily problem.

Waking up with a sigh (and his morning wood), Keitaro opened his eyes. Even without his glasses he knew that Tina lay on her side, snuggled up against him as he lay on his back. Her ample breasts (at least one of them) were pushed up against his side/chest while one leg was draped over his right leg. Had they been married or even intimate lovers he probably wouldn't have minded that she'd become so comfortable around him, but as his heart still belonged to Naru, the be-speckled young man couldn't bring himself to betray her.

Slowly, cautiously, Keitaro extracted himself from the single bed, grabbing his clothes from the floor before heading out of the cabin to 'relieve' himself and to get dressed.

*****

"Su is not going to be scavenging!" the pigtailed martial artist shouted as he stared down his father and mother, Mr. Tendo and Kuno.

"She's been here two days and hasn't left the room other than to use the bathroom," Genma counted in an equally loud voice.

"I'll pull double shifts," Ranma volunteered.

Kuno huffed. "The last time you pulled double shifts we nearly lost both Akane and that masculine chef you call a fiancée."

Slamming his hands on the table Ranma stood tall as he glared at Kuno.

"While I care nothing for your boyish fiancée I would have thought that you would not have allowed the beauteous Akane Tendo to be put into harm's way by taking your shift."

"And where were you?" the pigtailed boy countered.

"I do not have to answer you, you foul sorcerer!" Kuno said as he turned away from Ranma's intense eyes.

"Even before we had to tie you down and lock you up you rarely ever did anything other than spout stupid poetry and claim everything for yourself," Ranma growled. "If you think we need extra hands while scavenging then why don't you go out and lend a hand?"

"That's enough," Happosai said calmly. The normally troublesome old letch had calmed down over the past few weeks as the dwindling supply of fresh silky treasures left the pervert with a steadily decreasing power supply. "We won't ask Su to go foraging and scavenging; but it's not too much to have her help out with the nightly watch."

Glancing around at everyone Happosai offered everyone a chance object. Seeing that no one had a better suggestion the old grandmaster nodded. "It's settled then; Ranma, you will ask our guest to help with the tonight's watch. She'll continue to help out with the watch while she's here.

"Kuno, you'll need to pick up the slack as well. With Ranma and Akane as the primary scouts you'll have to help with the guard duty at night."

The tiny man nodded, signaling to the others that the issue was resolved.

With nothing else to say, Ranma left the main living room.

"Ranma," the ancient grandmaster called out as he hopped through the hallway after the young heir of Anything Goes Martial Arts.

Cautiously the young martial artist stood his ground as Happosai approached him.

"How is Ukyo doing?" the ancient martial artist asked as he landed on the young fighter's shoulder.

Refraining from the need to brush the tiny warrior off his shoulder, Ranma settled for simply eyeing the grandmaster, "She's doing better; but she feels a bit off balance without her battle spatula."

"Have you eaten breakfast yet?" Happosai asked as the other adults entered the hallway.

Surprised by the sudden change in subject Ranma shook his head.

"Why don't you and Ryoga come up stairs for some breakfast? We should enjoy the good weather while it lasts." Hopping off the youth's shoulder the ancient trickster headed up the hallway.

Shrugging his shoulders Ranma quickly brushed off any trace that the ancient had been perched on his shoulder.

"Hey Bacon breath," he called out as he spotted his long time rival.

"What do you want?" the bandana wearing youth asked irritably. Given the tattered appearance of his clothes it was clear that Ryoga had been getting ready to catch some sleep.

"You eat yet?"

Eyeing his long time rival the powerful and gruff Ryoga shook his head as his empty stomach rumbled audibly.

Not bothering to wait for a reply Ranma set off down the corridor that Happosai had disappeared in. The sound of Ryoga's heavy steps told him that his rival was following him. Soon the pair stood opposite the ancient grandmaster with two bowls of soba on the makeshift table before them.

"Is that what I think it is?" the pigtailed martial artist asked.

Happosai grinned. "It is just what you think it is."

Throwing the grandmaster a skeptical look both youths eyed the bowls of soba. "Desperate time and all," the ancient fighter said.

Sitting down the two quickly ate their respective bowls.

"I may have been a trickster in the past," Happosai said as the two youths eagerly ate the special treat. "But as I'm sure you've both noticed I haven't been up to my usual antics for obvious reasons."

Both boys nodded. Due to the lack of freshly worn silky treasures the ancient trickster had been forced to forgo his once daily panty raids. Settling instead for the occasional grope and ironing his accumulated stockpile of panties, it was clear to everyone that Happosai had shown a considerable lack of vigor that he once had.

"I'm not sure how long I can live in a world without fresh silky treasures," the ancient stated. "But before I go I must pass some of my skills and lessons onto both of you."

Again, both boys looked up at the tiny fighter standing before them.

"While the soba that you're eating isn't as potent as the true super strength soba, it will make you both considerably stronger," Happosai explained. "I could have just given it to either one of you, but given our current situation I hope you'll understand why I split its potency between the two servings."

Finishing the bowls both boys set their respective bowls back on the table.

Reaching into shirt the ancient master pulled out two scrolls. "I've known you both for only a few years, but fought with you enough to know your strengths and weaknesses. As such, I've decided to pass on to each of you several techniques that should make you both better fighters while also increasing your arsenal of techniques and moves."

Tossing the two scrolls at the two young men, Happosai offered the two a polite bow. Returning the gesture the two accepted their respective scrolls. Exchanging a knowing look the two opened their scrolls.

After a moment of silence the two looked up at Happosai again.

"There's only one technique on this," both boys shouted.

"Quiet!" the old man shouted. "Do you want everyone to know what we're doing up here?"

"Scroll-full of techniques my ass!" Ranma shouted.

"Well, when you get to be my age you forget more then you remember," Happosai grumbled. "Still, you could benefit from the Hidden Weapon Technique."

"Isn't that what Mousse uses?" Ryoga asked.

"Well, yes, but by mastering that technique Ranma should be able to master Stuff-Space, making it easier for him to store things without having to weigh himself down. True mastery of that technique would also allow him to hide himself in a pocket dimension."

"So why not just teach him that?" the bandana wearing boy asked.

"Um, I forgot the complete steps to that," Happosai apologized.

"What'd he offer to teach you?" the pigtailed youth asked as he stored his scroll away.

"'How to score with women'," his rival muttered.

*****

Naru was amazed at how different Mutsumi appeared. Gone was the ditzy, clumsy, anemic girl who was constantly at death's door. The self-assured, dependable, and energetic young woman was barely recognizable (aside from her gigantic breasts, those were still there).

"You're sure that this will let us find out where Su is?" Motoko asked as she glanced at Mutsumi then at Naru.

Not exactly sure herself, the auburn haired girl shrugged. Somehow the brunette had found an instruction manual to Su's giant control room, read the five hundred plus page booklet, and was now instructing the younger girls about the proper use of the machine and its multitude of buttons.

Nodding, the brunette pressed the button marked 'GPS'. "It's a global positioning system, GPS. As long as the satellites are still operational we should be able to locate where Su is" pointing at another monitor off to the side "and her position should appear on this map."

Suddenly a red dot appeared on the second monitor. "See, she's right there," Mutsumi announced. "Now, all we need to do is zoom it in so that we have her just inside the edge of the monitor and the Hinata Sou at the other end... there!"

"Nerima?" Motoko muttered.

Both older girls looked at the raven haired girl.

"Kikuko is from Nerima," the slender girl explained. "She moved out of there right before she started high school but she used to tell the other girls about this womanizing martial artist that wrecked the town.

"I've heard that a lot of crazy martial artists live in the area as well. My sister had even told me that there were notable fighters there but would never send any of the Shinmeryuu there unless necessary."

Naru blinked, _Weird_.

"I wonder why she's in Nerima though?" Mutsumi said aloud, voicing the thought that should have gone through everyone's mind. "Nerima is almost as far from Tokyo as Hinata is. Even if she took the most direct route it would take her at least a full day, maybe two, just to get here. But that's not including the time it would take to deal with any Darkseekers."

"Is there anything we can do to help her?" Naru asked.

Opening the instruction manual Mutsumi paged through it. "We could send Mecha Tama (version 12.0) to her. It's not complete but it should at least be able to complement and supplement what she has now."

"Where is it?" Motoko asked.

"In Su's room," the brunette replied.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Naru said as she rushed to the door.

"Um, it's not finished yet," Mutsumi stated, stopping both of the other girls in their tracks. Pointing to a third monitor she directed the other girls' eyes to the read out. "It's nearly complete, but won't be ready to launch until just before sunset tonight."

*****

The gentle hum of the Mecha Tama (version 11.5 now) was very soothing to the inventive young girl. Having given up on the flight option Su had uninstalled the propulsion systems and replaced them with a flame thrower option as well as added storage. Though heavier, it was also able to withstand more damage as well as deal more damage.

Looking at a map of the Kuno compound's fortifications Su couldn't help but wonder how their defenses had lasted so long. True, the moat had discouraged the Darkseekers, but without an enclosed air purification system in place it was simply amazing that so many of them had survived. Sure, Naru and Motoko had proven resistant to the airborne strain, but Su only managed to survive due to the biohazard suit and the filtered air systems in her control room and in the Mecha Tama.

Not to mention that whenever the handful of girls had their monthly visitor the scent of blood would attract the Darkseekers. True, stress and lack of a proper diet could extend the time between those visits, but judging from the way the short haired girl known as Akane reacted she was constantly PMSing.

Having witnessed Motoko and Naru sending Keitaro into LEO as often as she had Su wasn't surprised that other girls were capable of such feats of strength (must be a Japanese thing) but Keitaro was virtually indestructible. True, Ranma was not one to take lightly, but Akane was a true beast. Naru was simply a toned down, light-weight version of Akane, thus Keitaro was a toned down, clumsy, and completely untrained version of Ranma….

"Yo," Ranma said in his customary greeting, bringing Su out of her tangent thoughts. "How ya doing?"

Spinning around, Su smiled. True, Ranma couldn't see her smile but he could definitely hear it when she talked. "Morning Ranma! I'm doing much better today."

"That's good," the usually chipper boy replied.

In the short time she'd known the pigtailed boy Su always had the impression that few things ever bothered the martial artist. Even the most desperate situations seemed to bounce off of him as though it were an everyday occurrence. For Ranma to appear so… distracted, something had to be wrong.

"I don't really know how to say this," he said solemnly, "but the grown ups think that you need to start pulling your own weight around her. You won't have to go out on scavenging or scouting like I do, but they want you to at least help out with the night watch."

Su nodded. That didn't sound too bad. Though it would reduce her stores of ammunition it would give her a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the compound's fortifications. "Sure."

Breathing in a relieved sigh Ranma smiled wirily, "Thanks."

"You're going out scavenging right now, aren't you?"

The pigtailed boy nodded, "Yeah, it's best to go out early and come back early. That way I can get some sleep before the night watch just in case they need a hand. Do you need me to get anything for your repairs?"

Su shook her head, "You don't need to go out of the way for me."

Smiling his confidant smile the young martial artist stood tall, "Just the usual electronics and stuff, right?"

A light, relieved chuckle escaped the young girl's lips. "Thanks."

*****

Minutes later the young martial artist found himself just east of the Ryoga-made pond south of the compound. "You alright Ukyo?"

The okonomiyaki chef nodded. A new battle spatula slung over her shoulder the cross-dressing chef glanced away. "It was Konatsu," she mumbled.

"I know," Ranma replied. "I'm pretty sure that the one I kicked in the face to get you out of there was Kodachi."

"You should have kicked her harder," Ukyo said half heartedly.

Silence followed the pair as they scouted out the remains of another compound only a few kilometers from the school. Neither youth knew what to say. As fighters they were used to expressing themselves with their fists (not to mention feet, elbows, knees, and occasionally with their head) not with words.

For Ranma it was his habit of trading quick quips and throwing snappy comebacks, something that really didn't work when trying to console someone over the fact that they'd just taken another human's life. Regardless of what they were reduced to, Ranma couldn't, wouldn't accept the adults' view that the Darkseekers weren't human anymore.

Shaking his head the young man filled another bag full of canned food. Who ever had lived here, they had stored plenty of food. Unfortunately for them, they had even fortified their compound reasonably well. But from the looks of things apparently one of their own, probably more, had turned. It was probably their compassion for their ailing friend or family member that had been their undoing.

"You're sure that's what happened?" Ryoga asked over the walkie talkie.

"Yeah," Ranma replied as he glared at the gaping hole in the wall. "The way the wall was smashed out it looks like someone forced their way out the window from the inside. If the Darkseeker had come in from outside the glass and debris would be coming in, not going out."

"Hey," Ryoga's voice interupted, "isn't the zoo in that neighborhood?"

"Yeah," the pigtailed martial artist replied. "Want me to stop by and check it out?"

"No," Ryoga said anxiously, "just grab what you can and get back here."

Checking his watch Ranma sighed. The broken face told him all he needed to know. "Stupid watch; they need to make something durable enough for me," he mumbled.

Tying off the bag he stood tall, "Ukyo?"

"Yeah, give me a minute."

Curious, Ranma followed Ukyo's voice down the hallway of the western style building. With the dented but still whole solid metal door on the floor it was clear to Ranma that while the door had been sturdy, the wooden doorframe was not. Stepping over the dented metal door he entered the room.

"Ranma!" Ukyo hissed as she moved to cover herself.

The sight of Ukyo's nearly naked body caused the young martial artist's body to instinctively cover his head and eyes (walking in on Akane so many times had left him conditioned to accept a beating from the violent girl though not without putting up some defenses).

"I'm sorry," he said automatically. "I… um… I didn't know."

Eyes still shut tight Ranma could hear Ukyo approaching him. _This is going to hurt_.

Gentle hands forced his arms away from his head. Slowly, cautiously, Ranma opened his eyes, only to see that Ukyo was now completely naked and standing just centimeters away from him.

"Am I that ugly?" she whispered.

Ranma quickly shook his head. "You're not ugly at all. You're beautiful."

It took a second for his mind to catch up with his mouth. _Hey, she is beautiful. She is the cute fiancée, and none of my fiancées are ugly_.

Slowly, gently, she wrapped her arms around him as she leaned against his chest. "Just hold me," she whispered.

Not sure where to put his hands, Ranma settled for placing them in the small of her back, just a scant few centimeters from her firm butt. Feeling the heat of her body as she leaned against him he couldn't help but note that a certain part of his body was reacting to her presence.

After several deep, calming breaths failed to repress the uncontrollable growth of said body part, Ranma shifted his hips and legs so that his now noticeable erection wasn't as noticeable.

"I know you don't love me," Ukyo mumbled into his chest. "But just once, could you treat me like your fiancée?"

Ranma gulped. Aside from c…cats, this was his greatest fear (well, Akane's cooking was a close second, so maybe this was his third greatest fear); that one of his fiancées would accept that he didn't love them but wanted to be treated like a fiancée just once before calling it off. True, it would have helped him sort out his fiancée problems, but that didn't make the situation any more desirable. And with the apparent end of the world, well… that just made things a lot harder.

Licking his parched lips Ranma slowly let one hand drop while the other gently caressed Ukyo's spine as it climbed up her tone back.

The feel of her powerful legs wrapping around his hips forced Ranma to abandon his notion of pulling her face to his for a kiss. Instead he dropped both hands to her firm buttocks and thighs as he supported her weight and carried her to the dusty bed.

Pulling his collar to the side, Ukyo exposed just enough of his neck and shoulder for her to kiss lovingly, passionately, before her hands sought out his rigid member. Pulling his pants and boxers down just enough to expose his butt to the cool, stagnant air, she loosened her grip on his hips with her legs.

Two years of repressed hormones and built up sexual tension finally found an outlet as the young martial artist gave in to the feel of the warm, naked body pressed against him. Though he was far from typical, and the situation itself was far from normal, Ranma decided that for once he'd act like a typical teenager and give in to his raging hormones.

*****

Searing pain filled his skull, forcing the young warrior to close his eyes. _The light, the cursed light, it hurts! It's that damned Happosai's fault! Everything is his fault!_

Resisting the urge to lash out against the wall, the creature knew that if he did that he would just cause himself more pain. Not that he couldn't endure smashing a wall, no, that wasn't the problem. Smashing the wall would have felt good, if not for the fact that it would expose him to the cursed light, the painful light; he would have smashed it until nothing was left. Once the light was gone he's smash all of it. The bare, desolate ground would stand as testament to the fact that he'd been at the Tendo's abandoned residence.

*****

Ryoga was frustrated. Though he enjoyed Akane's company, the eternally lost boy just couldn't help but feel restless. It wasn't because he and Ranma happened to be living under the same roof together (for several months in fact) without getting into a serious fight with each other. No, both had decided that it was for the common good of them all that they should put aside their vast differences and long time rivalry to work together against the greater threat that the Darkseekers and the Krippin Virus posed. Having shown that they could work together in the past to overcome a common adversary, the two had even become good friends since teaming up together.

No, what bothered the lost boy was the lack of traveling. Everyone in his family traveled; it was in the Hibiki blood. True, he often spent his training/traveling time completely lost, but at least he was out there doing something instead of staying cooped up inside a fortified compound. Pacing around the pit wasn't enough to satisfy him; he really needed to get out. But with is poor sense of direction everyone knew that he'd get lost. Hell, he got lost going to the bathroom (though admittedly, even Ranma had a hard time finding it the first few days after they all had moved into the Kuno estate).

Clutching the walkie talkie in his hand, Ryoga had to restrain himself from accidentally breaking the fragile little toy. With the increase in strength and stamina that Happosai's super strength soba had given him, Ryoga had to focus on not breaking things. It would take training, but he was sure that after a day or two he'd be able to keep from accidentally breaking things.

Even though they had set their rivalry aside, it still irked the bandana wearing boy that his rival had easily adjusted to the boost in strength. Being able to leap from the compound's original wall to just a meter outside of the expanded moat, they at least no longer needed to shoot an arrow or grappling hook over to another building or telephone pole to get out.

Not to mention that the ancient grandmaster had stiffed him with a cheap scroll. "How to score with women," he muttered under his breath. _Everyone loves Ranma, but what does Ryoga get? Nothing_.

*****

Looking over his vast collection of ancient fighting styles and martial arts enhancement techniques, Happosai couldn't help but feel slightly off. _There has to be some other technique that I can pass on to those two_, he grumbled.

Shrugging his shoulders, Happosai rummaged through his pouch.

*****

"I'm sorry," Dr. Tofu said as he pulled the cloth over Nabiki's face, "I've done everything that I could."

"But, but what about the information Su collected?" Nodoka Saotome asked. "That young girl brought some information about the virus back from Todai, didn't she?"

Wirily the Dr. Tofu nodded. "She did, but it wasn't enough. We just don't have the equipment or time needed to created a proper vaccine." _All I did was make Nabiki suffer a few more days_.

"NABIKI!" Soun Tendo cried out as he lay crumpled on the floor.

Fighting the knot in his stomach Dr. Tofu forced himself to stand. "I'll give you all some time with her."

*****

Ryoga's eyes bulged as he looked down at Happosai's secret scroll. Fortunately for the inexperienced youth the scroll had not contained any pictures as the graphic description of the technique and its results had nearly caused the bandana wearing youth to pass out. Forcing himself to read every line, every instruction, he wondered just what kind of pervert Happosai was. If the old letch had been faster (or had a greater arm span/reach) he probably could have gotten away with his technique on an adult (or at least teenage) female. Only the restrictions of his diminutive size had kept the old pervert from applying what he knew to his everyday panty raids.

But for someone normal sized like Ryoga…. The possibilities were limitless…. Well, if he were a pervert that is. But being the fine upstanding martial artist that he was… Well, he just couldn't use those techniques.

*****

_No! Not Nabiki!_ Though she had long been considered the 'strong' Tendo daughter, Akane knew that it was all a lie. _Nabiki was the strong, emotionally detached daughter. It was Nabiki who had managed to keep their family finances straight and 'in the black', whatever that meant. It was my job to secure the family dojo, but it was Nabiki who had kept it afloat_.

Unwilling to shed any tears, Akane took out her frustrations the only way she knew how – breaking things. The unfortunate victim had never hurt anything in its lifetime. Sure, plenty of people (namely Sasuke and Principal Kuno) had tried to break it (managing only to pierce it or shave any hair off its head) but never had the poor wooden dummy suffered such a relentless assault as it did today.

*****

Tucking his (not Happosai's) scroll away, Ryoga sighed. _Am I that ugly that even Happosai has to help me get a girl? _

A familiar green aura seemed to radiate from the lost boy as he contemplated his fate. Though Ranma was better known for drifting from thought to tangent thought, the pigtailed martial artist wasn't the only one who could do that. With no one to talk to and nothing to do other than sit atop the watchtower, Ryoga's mind had wandered while his feet had remained idol.

Only the sight of Akane beating the hell out of several heavy duty practice dummies pulled him from his musings. Even from atop the tower it was clear to him that his crush was upset as she pummeled the defenseless dummies.

With a clear line of sight view of where he needed to go (it might be cloudy, but it was still too bright for the Darkseekers to brave the light) the lost boy leapt off of the tower. The rush of air as he soared through the air reminded him of just how strong he was after having enjoyed Happosai's little treat. Over jumping his mark Ryoga pulled out his umbrella and opened it mid-flight. The unusually durable umbrella stopped his forward momentum, allowing him to glide gracefully down to his intended landing zone, though it did take him a few more seconds than he had planned.

"Akane?" he called out as he put his umbrella and traveling pack down.

Clearly distraught by her sibling's untimely (though not unexpected) death, Akane furiously abused the now dented dummy. Wham! The head of the dummy was now looking at the fist sized hole in its torso as Akane extracted her hand from it and prepared for another mighty punch.

Reaching out, Ryoga caught her wrist before she could do any more damage to the poor and now useless dummy. "Akane," he said weakly as he spun her around.

The sad look in her eyes (and the tears that she refused to cry) made his knees weak. He didn't know why he did it, but suddenly he had her in his arms. Though he feared he might accidentally crush her, he held her close in his arms.

So used to expressing only her anger and frustration, the youngest Tendo didn't know what to do. No one hugged her, at least not since her mother had died. The feel of strong but gentle arms around her should have been threatening, but it was Ryoga who was holding her; kind, gentle, supportive Ryoga.

She didn't know why but suddenly she was kissing him hungrily. She was sad and frustrated, but beating up the dummies hadn't helped her feel better at all. Kissing Ryoga though, that helped take away some of the pain in her heart. Even though she knew she loved Ranma, Akane couldn't help but accept that they weren't right for each other. Besides, she couldn't stand to be alone, not now.

"No," she muttered, breaking away from the deep, passionate kiss. "Not here," she added, not even noting the pained look on Ryoga's face. Grabbing his hand she led him into the small shed that Sasuke had called his home.

In the privacy provided by the tiny, dark shed, Akane continued her assault.

For his part Ryoga couldn't help but wonder at just how quickly his clothes came off. Even his transformation from teenage boy to tiny black piglet left him with at least his bandana, but Akane, well, she was a human tornado as she stripped them both of all their clothes.

Paralyzed by fear (he'd seen what she'd done to Ranma whenever the pigtailed boy walked in on her) and by his own fascination with the cute tomboy, he simply lay there as Akane began to grind her moist womanhood against his now rigid member.

*****

Damn! Ranma couldn't help but curse himself. The heavy weight in the pit of his stomach just wouldn't go away even as he began his descent after reaching the height of his mighty leap. The undesirable feeling had settled in his stomach just as he'd pulled on his pants after taking advantage of an emotionally weak Ukyo.

It wasn't that the sex was bad; no, it had been better than he had expected. Of course, because it was him it had to be great. Ukyo had even begged for more (and settled for it three more times before they finally got dressed).

No what had bothered the young martial artist was that even though they had been intimate with each other, Ukyo had not kissed him. Well, she had kissed him, but never on the lips. Nor did she dare to look him in the eyes.

And of course there was the crying. He wasn't sure if she was crying because she had basically given up on them being together in exchange for the sex, or if she was crying because she was grieving for Konatsu (at least she didn't call out his name while they were making love). Either way, she was crying. And girls crying just made him feel completely worthless.

Stealing a glance at his companion, Ranma really couldn't make heads or tails of the look on her face. Girls really were a mystery.

"You alright Ukyo?" he asked. "I can take your load if you want."

"No," she replied reluctantly.

Her red eyes hinted at the crying she'd been doing, making that uneasy feeling grow in side his stomach_. I was right, it's worse than eating Akane's cooking; at least then I could go to the doctor or something_.

*****

Try as he might, Ryoga just couldn't bring himself to look at Akane. Every time he tried a vision of her riding him hard flashed into his mind, causing him to pitch a tent despite having spent over an hour in the shed with her.

True, Akane had come to him, but it was clear that she didn't love him. Each passionate kiss had been meant for Ranma, not him. Hell, she even moaned _his_ name when she'd climaxed. That and the fact that he'd already been anxious as hell really didn't help his performance, though he did manage to cum in the end. He was Ryoga Hibiki, aged seventeen; no longer a virgin. At least it had been good. She'd been everything that he had ever imagined, just not in love with him.

Fortunately nothing had happened while the two had been MIA or else he'd be feeling guiltier than he did right now. No one had even noticed that they were missing. Everyone else was too busy tending to Nabiki's body or asleep as they prepared to the night to notice.

"Hey Bacon Breath," Ranma's voice called out over the walkie talkie, "you guys have been pretty quiet over there; what's going on?"

Sighing at his own short-comings Ryoga picked up his walkie talkie, "Nabiki died. The others are getting ready to bury her."

Silence, pure, heart tugging and stomach tying silence filled the air.

"We're almost home," Ranma finally replied.

*****

A/N

Wow, long chapter….

Still not sure what I think of this chapter, this chapter sort of wrote itself. I'm not exactly sure that was a good thing.

As always, read and review.

Dreamingfox


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Notes –

Still not sure what to think of the last chapter; just don't expect this chapter to be like the last one.

Before posting this fic I only had the first two chapters written. I admit, I was stuck on chapter 3 for a while, but once I got past that, well, everything just fell into place. The last few chapters were written as is, not stored anywhere or whatnot, it was all written in the last few days; thus my uncertainty about the last chapter in particular.

That said, of course I don't own Ranma ½, Aoi Yori Aoshi, or I am Legend. This is a work of fanfiction meant simply for the pure enjoyment of the readers (and me the author) that combines elements of the fore mentioned works.

While Su had the components she felt were necessary to repair the Mecha Tama, she didn't have the equipment to repair everything; notably the jet engines which provided the suit with the ability to fly. Mecha Tama as an auto-assimilate option that turns scrap metal into metal slugs for the guns, but not an auto-repair option which would allow it to just take components and repair itself.

The travel time that the Hinata Sou girls estimate is based on a steady walk/light run. Remember, they may be in good shape, but they're not roof-hoppers like the NWC. And while Nerima and Hinata are both suburbs of Tokyo, the residents of each treat their suburb as separate from yet part of Tokyo (just like you'd consider yourself separate from a metro city like New York if you lived in Queens or the Bronx); separate in that they refer to their suburb/district to others in the area but part of to those who don't know any better or aren't from the area.

Happosai's super strength soba increases testosterone production in a body, thus giving a natural boost of strength. But remember that if a female consumes it they grow facial hair eventually.

Genma and Kuno don't go scouting/scavenging because they both think they're above doing any labor (seriously, when has Genma willingly worked aside from helping out at Dr. Tofu's clinic?).

* * * * *

Silence loomed over the compound as the remaining survivors paid their respects to the departed. For four of the youths the silence provided them with time to sort their feelings and thoughts about their recent actions and interactions.

Despite the fact that he was perhaps the greatest martial artist of his generation, Ranma was far from eloquent. Actually, none of the Nerima Wrecking Crew was particularly eloquent other than possibly Cologne and Happosai; then again they were centuries old and probably had plenty of time to work on that aspect of their personality and social skills.

Though it was much the same for Ryoga, things differed only in that the bandana wearing boy rarely ever talked to anyone. Unlike Ranma who seemed to attract people to him like honey attracted flies, Ryoga was a solitary person by nature. It didn't help that his relationship with Ranma was based on his inability to accept defeat (which happened a lot at Ranma's hands) then evolved into a case of envy/jealousy in that the fanged boy wanted what his rival had. Who wouldn't want a beautiful and caring fiancée? Even if her cooking was worse than toxic waste, Akane was easily the cream of the crop.

For Akane words didn't come easily. Sure, she could act, and she often spoke her mind, but primarily only when there was some degree of anger or frustration that needed to be voiced. Her strengths lay in focusing her rage, unfortunately that carried over to speaking with the other martial artists as well. True, she had friends that she could talk to in high school, but that was about normal, everyday high school things. This, this situation wasn't normal or typical; it was perverted! Not to mention that she really didn't consider Ukyo as someone she could talk typical girly stuff to.

But for Ukyo a lot had changed. Though she still wore an altered boy's school uniform, she wore her hair down. No longer did she carry her trusty but impractical battle spatula; instead she had a pair of katanas slung over her shoulder and brace of kunai strapped over her breasts and thighs.

"Where are we headed to today?" Ukyo asked.

"Uh," Ranma just couldn't bring himself to look at his best friend, "to the little shop on the other side of the river."

"You going to give me a lift?" the cross-dressing girl asked as she put her hand on his bicep.

"Ah, yeah," the pigtailed boy replied.

The pregnant silence lasted only as long as it took for them to reach the ring of buildings sixty meters from the moat.

"Did what we did bother you that much?" Ukyo finally asked, breaking the silence.

Startled, Ranma missed a landing. Tumbling off the edge of the roof he crashed into the next building.

"It is bothering you, isn't it?" She asked as she landed beside the disheveled boy. Extending her hand she offered it to her former crush and fiancée. "I figure that three days was more than enough for you to brood over everything that happened. So are you ready to talk to me or are you just too much of a pussy to deal with what happened?"

Riled, Ranma brushed her hand away. "I'm not a pussy!" he growled out as he stood up.

"Well you're acting like one," Ukyo replied. "So we had sex, what's the big deal? Now you don't have to worry about me chasing after you because I want you to marry me. It's not like there's any point in me even running a restaurant anymore."

"So you came on to me because you finally gave up?"

"We should probably keep moving," Ukyo suggested as she hopped to the next roof.

"Just so you know, because obviously you didn't catch it the last time," she said as he followed after her, "I've accepted that we're not going to be together; I know you love Akane, but I just once I wanted to feel what it would be like to have you actually love me, not just be my best friend."

Try as he might, Ranma just couldn't get it. Yes, he knew the words she was saying, but somehow the words just didn't make sense.

Seeing the look on his face Ukyo shrugged. "I guess you don't get it still; probably because you've never been in my position. I hope that you never do," she said with a sad smile.

For nearly three blocks the pair traveled in silence.

"I take it you haven't noticed that Ryoga and Akane haven't been much lately either," Ukyo brought up, hoping to get her best friend to say something.

"You're just fishing for things to get me to talk, aren't you?"

Ukyo nodded.

With a sigh Ranma easily caught up with his companion. "If you haven't noticed Ryoga's not much of a talker. 'Die Ranma!' 'It's your fault Ranma!'" he mimicked. "I doubt that they could have a conversation with just his limited vocabulary."

Ukyo chuckled, "He's not that bad. He's a sweet guy, and you know he's sweet on Akane."

"Yeah, but he'd die of blood loss before anything serious happened."

* * * * *

After only a few days of sailing the bay Keitaro was feeling much better about their chances. Not only had they found more supplies and weapons, but they had also managed to secure more clothes for each of them. Though some of the clothes had to be altered, they both had enough clothes for several days. Not to mention that they now had enough to wear underwear at night. The only thing they happened to be short on was blankets. With only the two thin blankets and the one mattress the pair had been forced to continue to share the single mattress. While the bed on the sailboat was larger, the small blankets forced them to cuddle together at night the few nights they slept on the boat.

Scavenging through the remains of another shipwreck Keitaro couldn't help but look up at the darkening sky. It was definitely going to rain, but when and how hard?

"We need to hurry up," Keitaro advised the bubbly blond, "it looks like it's going to rain soon."

"Okay," the energetic girl called back.

Eyeing the small chest he scanned the area for something to force the lock. Grabbing hold of a large rock he smashed it against the lock. After a few minutes he finally broke the lock. "Toothpaste, tooth brushes, mouth wash, sun-block," he mumbled to himself as he went through the chest. _Useful, but who'd lock this up?_

For her part Tina was enjoying scavenging through the boat. It was clear that there were some women who had frequented the sailboat. After just a few minutes of rummaging through the dressers the blond had found several bathing suits of varying sizes. Even though Keitaro had warned her about the weather the blond didn't care. For the first time in a long time she had a real mirror, and with so many outfits….

Stripping off her ragged flag outfit she eyed her reflection. After days in the sun she'd barely tanned at all as her skin was still a creamy white. "At least I've lost some weight," she muttered to herself as she examined her profile. _Still nice and perky_, she thought as she cupped her breasts.

Lost in the simple pleasures of trying on several different outfits, Tina lost track of time.

"Tina?" Keitaro called out as he dropped down into the cabin. "Tina?!"

Standing before the full length mirror completely naked, Tina (and her reflection) gave Keitaro an eye full. Stunned into silence the former ronin simply fell over in complete shock.

* * * * *

"I thought you said that the Mecha Tama (version 12.0) would reach her today?" Motoko asked irritably.

"It would have," Mutsumi replied, "but the extra weapons that we loaded on weighed it down."

"But Su knows that the suit's coming to her, right?" the auburn haired girl asked.

"She should," the brunette answered. "If she's awake, but if she's not in her suit or she's asleep she might not notice."

"So Su'll be back tomorrow, right?" the raven haired girl asked.

"Mecha Tama (version 12) should arrive tonight, and if she's rested she should be able to take off tomorrow morning and be back here before sunset," Mutsumi answered.

Relief showed on the faces of both of the other girls. It'd been over a week since their young companion had left them for Todai on what was supposed to be a one day journey. Leaning back into her comfortable chair, Motoko sighed.

"Hey," Mutsumi exclaimed excitedly, "we've got a visual feed from Mecha Tama (version 12)."

* * * * *

"So the old pervert gave you a technique?" Ukyo asked. "What technique was it?"

"Yeah," Ranma replied. Having spent their entire scavenging trip talking about various subjects, it felt good to finally talk about some of those things. "You know Mousse's trick with pulling weapons out of nowhere?"

Leaping off a roof the okonomiyaki chef nodded. "Oh, that's why you didn't bring a bag?"

Ranma grinned as he nodded.

"How much stuff can you hold?"

Landing a jump, Ranma immediately pushed off the roof. "Not sure yet, but right now I'm not good enough to pull out the exact item that I want. Mostly I can only put small things like cans of food or small weapons, nothing bigger than my forearm though."

Ukyo smiled. Ranma was back, boastful as ever about his accomplishments and techniques.

* * * * *

"Looks like you had another hard day of training with Akane?" Genma asked as he noted the new bruises and scrapes that appeared on the head of the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts.

"She's been like this since…" Soun fought back tears. As much as he wanted to cry, now was not the time for such a display of weakness. "I've taught her how to focus her anger, but it seems that that is all she can do. Akane doesn't seem to do well expressing anything other than anger right now."

The be-speckled man nodded. "That is the danger of an emotional focus. Ranma's ego gets to be a problem as well, though it helps motivate him to be the best, it also tends to cause misunderstandings between them."

"I've been thinking Saotome, you probably should unseal your forbidden techniques," the long haired martial artist suggested. "I know you've raised Ranma to respect life and to protect those weaker than himself, but don't you think that it would be best for him and the rest of us if he didn't hold back against the Darkseekers?"

Sighing, the heavier set man slouched as he sat. "I would if I thought that he were willing to use them against the Darkseekers. You heard how he ranted and raved after the dougi incident – and that was a life or death situation; we nearly lost Akane and Ukyo."

"Yes, Ranma may be good enough to survive a night out there, but if he were to be constantly hounded by the creatures even his incredible stamina would give out eventually," Soun rationalized. "By taking them out as quickly as efficiently as possible he saves himself from having to deal with them later on. If we don't kill those Darkseekers we're just going to waste our resources fighting them off every night. And with those techniques sealed, he won't dare to use them even if it's necessary."

Genma considered his friend's logic. It was true that Ranma had not allowed them to kill any of the Darkseekers following the dougi incident, and that there had been more Darkseekers arriving each successive night. At this rate it wouldn't be long before there were more of the creatures around than even they could deal with.

"I'll speak with him when he gets back," Genma conceded. "He already knows both techniques enough to use them, but it has been a while."

With a sigh the rotund martial artist stood up. "I never imagined that things would turn out this way," he admitted. "But I'm just glad that we trained those kids to be this good. If they weren't then I doubt that they'd have a chance at surviving. Without that strength they won't be able to rebuild the world at all."

Soun nodded solemnly.

"Well, you better see Dr. Tofu soon about those bruises," Genma teased. "And I thought losing to Ranma was humbling; at least he's a boy!"

* * * * *

"Spam?" Ryoga asked as he examined the canned meat.

"You've never heard of spam?" Ranma asked as he eyed his rival.

"We used to have that all the time at school," Ukyo interjected. "Principal Kuno loved it; I guess they really like canned ham in Hawaii."

Ranma smirked as an inadvertent shiver when up Ryoga's spine. Ever since returning to Japan after their first trip to China the part-time pig, part-time boy had given up on eating any pork products.

"You love bacon, so I'm sure you'd love Spam," Akane concluded.

The pigtailed boy clutched his stomach as he refrained from laughing as he was sure he'd fall over as a result.

"I think I'll try making that Hawaiian Spam Sandwich that they used to have during lunch," Akane said with a smile. "You're going to love it!"

The other three youths cringed, though they at least managed to do it while Akane's back was turned.

"Why don't I bring these to Kasumi," Ukyo suggested as she collected the rest of the canned and dried food.

With both girls gone, the two boys simply stood as a pregnant silence enveloped them.

"Ranma," Ryoga finally said, breaking the silence, "there's something I need to tell you. I-"

"Ranma!" Genma Saotome shouted as he walked towards the pair. "Good job scavenging today!"

"Go ahead," Ryoga said as he turned away, "I'll talk to you later."

Shrugging, Ranma watched as his rival left only to be replaced by his father.

"Hey old man," the pigtailed boy greeted, "what's up?"

"I wanted to talk to you about the sealed techniques," the heavy set man stated. "Given our dire situation I've felt it necessary to unseal them."

It struck Ranma as though his old man had rehearsed the simple lines. True, they sounded simple, but it was a big step to make. There was a reason those two styles had been forbidden.

Patting his son on the shoulder Genma signed. "I know you are reluctant to use deadly force, especially as you feel that the Darkseekers are simply sick and infected people, but you have to understand that they are a threat to you and everyone else here. If you truly wish to protect everyone then you will need to remove those threats when they present themselves."

A knot formed in the young martial artist's stomach. Though he knew his old man was right, he couldn't help but disagree with it. His inflated pride wouldn't let him admit defeat, even to an enemy that he couldn't see.

A sudden tension filled his neck and shoulders. All he could do was hope and pray that it would never come to that.

"Anyways, we'll start practicing tomorrow," Genma stated. "It's too late to start today, and it's almost dinner time."

* * * * *

Su could hardly contain her excitement as Mecha Tama (version 12) sent an update to her Mecha Tama (version 11.6). With the new suit she'd be able to fly to the Hinata Sou, maybe even before sunset. Though she had enjoyed her time with Ranma (everyone else had been fairly cold towards her) the energetic blond couldn't wait to return home. Not only would she be able to get out of the cramped confines of the cockpit, but she'd finally be able to take a real bath.

"Alright!" she shouted. "Start up engines and take us outside."

Mecha Tama (version 11.6) sprang to life as the generators powered up the limbs of the suit. Hydraulics moved the four powerful legs as it walked out of the first floor room and through the rice paper wall.

"Su!" Ranma shouted as he spotted her mecha taking the shortest route out of the building. "What's going on?"

"Sorry about the wall," the energetic girl apologized, "I guess Mecha Tama (version 11.6) got a bit bigger during the day."

"What's going on?" Akane shouted from the main building.

"My ride is finally here," Su proclaimed. "Mecha Tama (version 12) is gonna pick me back up and take me home."

"You dare leave before your debt to us is paid?!" Kuno shouted from his room on the second floor of the main building.

"Hey, she's done more than you!" Ranma shot back in defense of Su. "At least she helped with night watch; all you did was spout bad poetry and try and hit on Akane."

"Foul sorcerer!" Kuno shouted as he sought a good comeback. "Your wicked lies will not sway my beautiful Akane Tendo!"

Clang!

"I'm not your beautiful anything!" Akane protested.

_Man, if only she'd managed to get that thing into his mouth_…. Ranma sighed. Things were going to get messy.

Dusk found the residents still at odds as Kuno, Genma Saotome, and Soun Tendo each voiced their concerns over Su's sudden departure. With the formidable mecha and its pilot departing there was one fewer person to man the guns against the steadily growing onslaught of the Darkseekers.

"I think you should come back right away," Motoko said, her image on one of the monitors in Mecha Tama (version 12).

"I agree," Narusagawa seconded. "Even with the two Mecha Tamas it would be best if you came back right away."

"I'll try, but with all the adjustments and alterations I made to Mecha Tama (version 11.6) it's taking longer than expected to get the two suits to fit together," Su explained.

"I will gladly accept your mecha as payment for your debt," Kuno said as he held himself in what he thought was a regal pose. "Though your debt to us far exceeds the value of your invention, I am willing to accept the loss."

"God, who is that jerk!" the auburn haired girl shouted as she pressed her face against the monitor in an attempt to get a better look. "He's lucky I'm not there or else I'd kick his ass!"

Fortunately for Su only she and her Hinata Sou companions could hear both ends of the conversation as the Nerima group could only hear her and not the people on the monitors.

"Mecha Tama (version 12) should be able to assimilate the older version overnight," Su stated for everyone to hear, "so I'll stay tonight. Come morning though I'll be heading back home."

"Fine," Ranma declared before anyone else had a chance to protest.

None of the others dared to question Ranma. With the issue settled everyone prepared for the long night.

The beautiful red sunset would have been romantic to anyone riding the Ferris wheel at any number of amusement parks if they were still open but the howls that accompanied it sent shivers down the spines of most who heard them.

_Six from the south west, _Ranma thought as he tried to count the howls and not the echoes_. Eight from the east, _the sound of another howl from the east made him pause_, no, make that nine; and another nine from the north_.

"How many do you count?" Ukyo called out from the watchtower.

"An even two dozen," Ranma declared.

It didn't take long for the creatures to appear. With the light of day quickly fading the Darkseeker were on the prowl. Leaping from shadow to shadow the infected humans avoided coming into the open. Instead they clung to the darkness as they circled around the compound.

_Damn, they're changing things up_, Ranma thought as he listened to their calls. _Normally they just try to overrun whatever side they appear on, but something's holding them back. They're not charging blindly like they normally do_.

Sniffing the air he shook his head. _It's not going to rain, so what is it?_

Several howls filled the air, sending shivers down the spines of many.

"I think they're fighting to see whose the alpha," Dr. Tofu said as he emerged from the main building.

"Like a pack of wolves or a pride of lions," Ranma added.

The doctor nodded. "With so many new Darkseekers arriving each night, and from different directions, the older ones who have been here longer are testing the newer ones to see who will lead the pack."

Ranma nodded. That made sense.

"They're not mindless zombies," Dr. Tofu added. "But they're not as smart as normal people either. They're creatures of instinct right now – incapable of rational thought."

As much as he wanted to, Ranma couldn't dispute that.

In the distance a Darkseeker screamed in pain. Apparently one of them had gained the upper hand.

Another roar of challenge filled the air as the second pack, the Darkseekers from the south and west, arrived. Again the air was filled with several cries as the Darkseekers fought to establish not only their leader but the individual rank of its members.

"If this keeps up maybe we won't have to deal with the Darkseekers at all tonight," Ranma said as he listened to the tell tale howls of the victorious and the defeated.

"Maybe," Dr. Tofu replied, "maybe."

The cries and howls of the Darkseekers lasted until well after the stars had filled the sky. The dark sky overhead, untainted by the city lights, shone clearly. Only the bone-chilling and blood curling cries of the transformed humans kept the handful of survivors awake as the three packs merged into one.

* * * * *

"How long are they going to keep this up?" Akane whispered to Ukyo.

"I don't know," the formerly cute fiancée replied. Of course she hadn't told her former rival that she'd given up on Ranma because that would mean that she'd have to admit to having slept… wait, they didn't do any sleeping… no, sex was the best way to describe what they'd done. Yes, admitting to Akane that she'd given up on Ranma would probably mean telling Akane that she and Ranma had had sex together (four times!).

"How are you doing?" Akane asked.

Ukyo blinked, "Fine."

"Oh, I thought you looked like you needed to use the bathroom," the short haired girl stated. "You were rubbing your legs together and all."

"Oh, just that time of month," the cross dressing girl replied. "I couldn't find any pads that fit right, so I'm trying to make do."

"I know what you mean," Akane said.

* * * * *

"How's it going?" Ryoga asked as he approached Ranma and Dr. Tofu. With the Darkseekers fighting amongst themselves the handful of survivors were trying to make the most of being forced to stay awake. "Could you cover for me quickly Dr. Tofu?"

"Sure," the always considerate doctor replied before setting off to find Kuno.

"He's over by the watchtower," Ryoga stated as he turned to his rival.

"You need to use the bathroom?" Ranma asked as he turned to lead his directionless companion.

"Actually, no," the bandana wearing boy answered. "There's something I need to tell you."

Standing tall, Ranma wasn't sure what to expect. After all, it was Ryoga, and neither of them were great talkers (unless they were talking with their fists). Something was obviously bothering Ryoga if he had worked up the courage to actually come and talk about it.

"I don't know how to say this really," the bandana wearing boy said as he scratched his head. "Promise me, that once you hear what I say, you'll wait five seconds before you do or say anything."

Ranma blinked. _Wow, he's seriously been thinking about this. Five seconds…. That's about enough time for him to sucker punch me several times, but that's not his style…._ "Okay," he replied reluctantly.

"On your honor," Ryoga insisted.

Ranma could feel the vein on his forehead bulging as the muscles around his eye twitched. "Fine, on my honor I promise to not say or do anything for five seconds after you finish telling me whatever it is you have to say."

He watched as Ryoga licked his parched lips. _He's not gonna tell me he's gay, is he? Or that he finds my female form attractive?_ Ranma felt the blood rushing from his face. _Kami, he's got something bad to tell me_.

"I… Akane… we… made… well… we… um… we… the other day…"

Whack! Not sure what the hell his rival was trying to say, and not sure that he had the patience to wait, Ranma slapped Ryoga.

"You, you slapped me!" Stunned by the interruption, the bandana wearing boy simply held his cheek. It didn't hurt, but still, "You broke your promise!"

"I did not!" Ranma said loudly. "I simply slapped you so that I could tell you to be a man and just spit it out! You're acting like a girl!"

Ryoga opened his mouth to say something but just couldn't. Mouth still open he tried to find something to say. "I slept with Akane!"

Blinking, the fanged boy wondered just why he'd said that. _One_, he counted off mentally.

_Damn you Ranma, if you hadn't slapped me I would have been able to put that better!_

"YOU CHEATED ON MY SON!" filled the air as it drowned out even the horrible screams and howls that the Darkseekers emitted.

_Two. _

Ranma blinked as his mind processed what Ryoga had just told him.

_Three._

Fighting back the urge to break his promise, Ranma quickly ticked off two fingers then a third.

_Four._

"YOU CHEATED ON MY SON!"

_Five._

Ranma held five fully extended fingers before him. Opening his mouth he quickly shut it. Slouching his shoulders the pigtailed boy relaxed a bit. "I guess you win then," he finally said.

The bandana wearing boy blinked. _Sleeping with Akane meant that he won? What the hell was Ranma thinking? How the hell did he come to that conclusion?_ "Akane's not a prize for us to fight over and win!"

"No, she's not," Ranma replied coolly. _Wow, now I know what Ukyo was talking about_. "But she made her decision – she chose you. I… I always knew that she liked you better."

"She doesn't love me!" the fanged boy shouted. "The whole time we were together she was moaning out your name!"

Ranma blinked. That didn't make sense at all.

"You foul traitor!" Kuno's voice cut in, interrupting both boys' thoughts. "You deflowered Akane Tendo in my house! Prepare to die!"

Instinctively Ranma grabbed the leaping boy's bokken, with a twist of the hip and shoulders he sent Kuno flying. Though the pigtailed boy was normally a model of precise control his body reacted before his mind could compensate. His strength boosted by the grandmaster's super strength soba, Ranma sent Kuno flying further and harder than expected.

"Oh shit!" he exclaimed as he realized his error.

For his part Kuno wasn't too surprised. Having been sent flying by either Ranma (in both forms) or by Akane had become almost a daily thing for the captain of the kendo team. So much so that he didn't even worry about the flight. Flying backwards and upside down didn't bother him. It wasn't until he saw the accursed Ranma chasing after him that he realized something was wrong.

The feel of his head hitting the hard wall wasn't unusual. After the initial impact Kuno managed to recover his senses (going through walls was fairly common for him, something he'd been getting very used to overcoming as well) fairly quickly. In fact he even managed to see the wall crumbling as he passed clean through the half meter thick cement. The feel of electricity shooting through his body was new though.

"AAAHH!" Kuno shouted as the surge of electricity made each of his muscles contract and expand at the same time.

"Oh shit!" Ranma shouted as he stopped at the crumbling wall.

Despite the darkness the pigtailed boy could see several shadows moving towards him.

"Light! Give me some light!"

* * * * *

"I slept with Akane!" Ryoga's distinctive voice cried out over the distant roars and howls of the Darkseekers.

Akane froze. _No, he didn't just do what I think he did! No! No! No!_

"You slept with Ryoga?!" Ukyo said hoarsely.

"You cheated on my son!" Nodoka cried out.

"No!" Akane shouted automatically. "Well, yes, but…."

"YOU CHEATED ON MY SON!"

Akane cringed reflexively as a wave of killer intent filled the air. Slowly she backed away.

"YOU CHEATED ON MY SON!" Nodoka repeated again as she notched her compact bow.

"It… no… I…" Akane didn't know what to say. She couldn't…. no she didn't have a right to defend herself, not after what she'd done to the woman's son – the woman who was supposed to become her mother-in-law.

Focused only on the compact bow as it was raised at her Akane failed to notice Ukyo as the cross-dressing girl charged at her. She didn't know why (well, not really, she did, but she didn't realize it) but suddenly she lashed out with a stiff kick to the other girl's stomach. She didn't even register the arrow that sailed through the air that she had just vacated (a bit rather against her will).

"Light! Give me some light!" Ranma's panic-filled voice called out.

"Why are you mad at me?" Akane asked as she eyed Ukyo as the other girl gasped for breath. .

"I'm… I'm not mad," Ukyo stated as she fought for breath, "I just wish you'd admitted this a few days ago."

"Oh," the short haired girl exclaimed. "Why'd you attack me then?"

"I didn't want Ranma's mom to kill you," Ukyo said as she glanced at the older woman who was even now pulling back on her bow.

"Why a few days ago?" Akane asked as her battle dougi forced her to rip off part of the railing and throw it at Auntie Saotome. While not aiming to injure the woman, it was enough of a diversion as it forced her to choose between getting hit and shooting the arrow or dodging and delaying her shot.

"Um, well, Ranma and I slept together," the chef admitted. "Of course he only slept with me because I gave up on pursuing him."

SLAP!

"YOU BITCH!!!"

* * * * *

Chaos reigned throughout the Kuno compound as old rivalries resurfaced. Despite their current situation with the Darkseekers the survivors began to fight each other all around her.

"What the hell is going on?" Motoko shouted.

"Are the Darkseekers attacking?" Naru asked.

"Which one's Akane?" Mutsumi asked. "And which one is Ranma?"

"I think Kuno attacked Ryoga," Su explained, "but Ranma, who was talking with Ryoga, threw Kuno through the wall."

"He did what?!" Motoko shouted again. "Why would he do that?! Is he an idiot or something?!"

"I think the Darkseekers are starting to attack now that there's a hole in the fortifications," the blond narrated. "That's why Ranma called for the lights. I should probably get over there."

Rather than resorting to verbal commands Su decided to focus on the narrating as she shifted the joy stick and urged Mecha Tama (versions 11.6 and 12.0) towards the breached defenses. "Akane is the short haired girl. She's the heir of the dojo and the one that supposedly was engaged to Ranma first."

"Oooh," Mutsumi exclaimed. "But isn't Ranma engaged to Ukyo as well?"

"Yeah," the blond replied as she focused a camera on the western wall. Flipping a switch she switched to the thermal image. "His father sold him off as a child."

"How the hell do you get all this?" Motoko asked as she casually wrote it all down. _You just can't make this stuff up!_

With the press of a button Su shot two artillery shells into the open lot to the west.

"So Akane and Ryu slept together?" Motoko asked for clarification.

"Ryoga, not Ryu," the young girl stated as she watched the shells clear the first of the advancing Darkseekers.

"Who is Ryoga again?" the raven haired girl asked as she finished jotting down her previous note.

"He used to go to school with Ranma, is Ranma's main rival and also likes Akane," Mutsumi said. The other girls looked at the brunette.

"Um, I don't think now is the best time for us to be asking about other people's love lives," Naru finally said.

* * * * *

Blinking back the blinding light, Ranma was glad that he'd at least managed to cover his eyes to avoid the worst of the flash of light. Despite how things were falling apart around them the pigtailed boy managed to avoid getting hit with any shrapnel. Shaking his head Ranma tried to clear the ringing sensation.

Even through the ringing in his ears the young martial artist managed to make out the sound of a shotgun discharging behind him. Blinking away the dirt and dust Ranma watched as Ryoga miraculously managed to avoid the gunfire.

"YOU VIOLATED MY DAUGHTER!"

"I'm sorry," Ryoga shouted as he ran for cover.

_So that's what it looks like from this side_, Ranma mused offhandedly.

A sudden roar filled the air, drowning out even the sporadic gunfire and screaming and shouting that filled compound. Automatically Ranma scanned for the source of the noise. Even in the darkness of the night Ranma recognized the giant form bearing down on him. _Pantyhose Taro? When did he shave himself? Oh no, oh no…_

Grabbing several chunks of the ruined wall Ranma hurled them at Darkseeker Taro.

_I don't need this, not now. _

Boneless arms batted away the offending boulders as Taro swooped down on Ranma.

* * * * *

"What the hell is that?!" Motoko shouted as she watched the martial artist's arms blur. "Did he just throw those boulders?! That's impossible!"

"Ranma very good, yes?" Su teased. "Better than Motoko even."

"If I didn't know better I'd think this was CG," Naru mumbled. "How can anyone move that fast?"

"What are you doing?" Motoko screamed as Su turned away from the horrific clash.

"Darkseekers!" Su shouted back as she commanded Mecha Tama (version 12) to launch napalm at the western fortifications to slow the charging Darkseekers. The moat would slow them down, but the few that had gotten inside (by using Kuno's prone, floating body as a stepping stone) were going to be a problem. Though the artillery shells had taken out part of the fence, it had also widened the moat.

Clutching her stomach, Su couldn't help but feel as though her stomach and intestines had knotted up. Accident or not, it was her fault that the insane kendo captain was dead.

* * * * *

Ryoga barely registered the fact that Ranma was in danger as the part-time pig, part-time boy was fleeing from an enraged father. Boulders were one thing, the shotgun was another.

"No Soun," Genma shouted as he leapt in front his friend only to catch a full load in the face. Red mist filled the air as the heavy-set body fell to the ground.

Heedless of the death of his closest friend, Soun fired off another load into his friend's corpse, stopping only because he'd run out of shells.

"Sorry," Ryoga shouted as Soun reloaded the shotgun. Jumping over his savior's body he charged at the Tendo patriarch.

"It's too late to apologize!" the demon's head that was Soun Tendo shouted. "My daughter's honor is stained!"

"Not for that," the bandana wearing boy said as he ducked under a palm strike only to strike the ground between them with the breaking point. Just as he expected, the older male jumped back to avoid the brunt of the explosion, completely forgetting that he was standing on the edge of the pit. "I'm sorry for that."

Reaching out for the ledge Soun dropped the shotgun. "Damn you!"

With startling speed and accuracy that would make even Ranma jealous, Ryoga grabbed the discarded firearm as he stood up. Offering a silent bow and prayer the elder Saotome, he turned before rushing towards the gaping hole in the western wall. _I will not let your sacrifice be in vein_.

* * * * *

All things considered, Ranma had to say that he was doing pretty well. Disoriented from the shock and blasts of the artillery (not to mention the bright lights in an otherwise pitch black night) Ranma moved automatically, reflexively as he fought with the transformed Pantyhose Taro. Dodging the creature's multiple appendages Ranma had even managed to land several solid hits to Taro's head. Grabbing hold of one of his opponent's horns Ranma slammed his feet into Taro's face.

Despite the creature's amazing strength (which had been considerable even before becoming infected) even he couldn't ignore the brutal force of the blows that had connected. Taking advantage of his opponent's momentary confusion Ranma twisted his opponent's head, thus redirecting Taro's flight. Forcing the monstrous cursed boy to fly straight into the ground, Ranma buried his feet into his opponent's neck, adding more force to the blow. Flipping over Taro's slimy tentacles he grabbed hold of powerful wings just over the point where they joined the creature's back. Slamming his feet into Taro's back he yanked back, hard.

Taro bellowed hard and loud, but not loud enough to drown out the sickening sound of muscles ripping and bones popping out of their joint as Ranma took advantage of his leverage and the boost in strength from Happosai's super strength soba. Focused on the trying to keep Taro on the ground, Ranma somehow managed to dodge three slippery tentacles only to be pummeled by the other five.

Thrown off of the enraged Taro, Ranma flipped in the air, avoiding a ferocious backhanded blow. Planting his hand on Taro's wrist he pivoted and swung back before connecting with a powerful double kick to the ribs. Committed to the attack Ranma barely had time to register the fact that a tentacle had wrapped around his ankles. Air rushed past his head has he was slammed into the hard, unforgiving ground.

* * * * *

Things were going from bad to worse. Glancing at the handful of Darkseekers that had breached the fortifications and Darkseeker Taro as it fought with Ranma, Kasumi thought that things couldn't get any worse. But that was just the start of their problems.

Kuno had been dragged out of the moat, his grisly death punctuated by the artillery that not only took out the four Darkseekers that had been ripping him to shreds, but had also killed him. Then there was Ryoga fleeing from her shotgun toting father. Though that had ended it came at the cost of Genma Saotome's life. But the worst thing was fighting between her sister, Ukyo, and Mrs. Saotome. Sure, Ukyo and Akane had been rivals for a long time, but Mrs. Saotome was a grown woman! True, Akane had slept with Ryoga, but both Auntie Saotome and her father were adults! They should have waited until a more appropriate time to discuss the situation.

Grabbing the closest gun she somehow managed to lift it onto her shoulder before pulling the trigger.

* * * * *

"That doesn't look good," Mutsumi gasped.

"I've never seen a gun that big!" Naru screamed. "What is that thing?"

"That's a 125mm anti-tank gun," Su exclaimed.

"Where the hell did she get that?" Motoko shouted, only to be drowned out by the hideous Darkseeker's roar.

* * * * *

"AAAHH!" Akane roared as she slammed her mallet down. It didn't matter to her what it sounded like, or who she'd hit, they were all against her; everyone and everything was out to steal her happiness. The Darkseekers had forced them to live together at the cursed Kuno compound. Ranma had slept with Ukyo – he was supposed to marry her, not the stupid cross dressing okonomiyaki chef! And with Nabiki dead who was there to talk to about her feelings? Ukyo, hell no – that bitch had slept with Ranma! That of course left only Ryoga, poor, sweet Ryoga. But she didn't love him; yes, she liked him as a friend, but she needed someone, and he was there… was it so wrong?

"AAAHH!!!" she shouted as she sent her mallet crashing into a wall.

Twin screams filled the air only to be cut off by the sound of the watchtower crashing into the side building.

* * * * *

_This is for you Genma_, Ryoga thought as he pumped the shotgun with one hand, _I will not let Ranma die_. Backhanding a Darkseeker with his left, the bandana wearing boy sent it flying through the wall of one of the side buildings.

Leveling the shotgun Ryoga waited for the unfortunate Darkseeker to stand up before he unloaded the gun into its chest and head. _I'm sorry Ranma, your father died protecting me_.

Scanning the area and seeing no other Darkseekers in the area Ryoga rushed back towards the breached fortifications hoping to find Ranma and Taro.

* * * * *

Roaring triumphantly, Taro hoisted his unconscious opponent into the air.

Biting into his victim, the feel of warm blood filled his mouth. This was what he craved, what he needed. This warm fluid was what he hungered for.

A bright light filled the compound, quickly followed by a deafening sound. Suddenly a searing pain shot through his chest from the side as a tremendous force hit him. Stunned by the blow Taro's weak, flat teeth lost their hold on the meaty, bloody flesh.

Pain like nothing he'd ever experienced filled his chest. Heedless of his trophy Taro turned towards the cause of his pain. Across the huge hole stood a slender girl with a large metal object in her hands. Too far for him to simply smash, Taro lashed out with the only thing he had.

* * * * *

Incredible pain snapped Ranma out of his short nap. Opening his eyes Ranma instantly knew the source of his pain as Taro and his flat ox teeth had taken a bite out of his arm. Just as he was about to punch the crazed Darkseeker something lit up the night as a loud blast muted out the scene.

Unbalanced as he was Ranma felt his head hit the ground as Taro staggered. Just as he was about to kick his feet out of Taro's slimy grasp the monster threw him into the air.

Unable to twist around to see where he was going Ranma felt himself crash into something. Too soft to be a wall or even the ground Ranma knew he'd crashed into someone, but who he didn't know. Blindly twisting he managed to plant his feet as he spun around whomever it was he'd crashed into.

"Kasumi!" Dr. Tofu shouted as Ranma skidded to a halt.

Ranma's eyes bulged. It couldn't be….

Looking down at the crumpled form of the eldest Tendo daughter Ranma's vision slowly blurred as a reddish film tainted everything he saw.

Setting the limp body down Ranma let out a feral roar.

* * * * *

_Kami, not Kasumi_! Ryoga thought as he leveled the shotgun at Taro's exposed back. Though the huge monster had an equally huge gaping hole in its side and was bleeding profusely it wasn't out of the fight. Having dispatched the half dozen or so Darkseekers Ryoga unloaded three rounds into Taro before throwing it aside. Tackling the powerful but injured Taro the pair tumbled over the ground as they traded blows. Focusing his blows in Taro's injured left ribs (well, the right ribs were injured too) Ryoga mercilessly pummeled the mighty behemoth even as Taro's boneless limbs lashed out at him in retaliation.

Suddenly he was in the air as a slimy but powerful tentacle wrapped around his head and sent him flying. Lacking Ranma's grace and affinity for the air, Ryoga simply covered his head as he crashed into the wall of the main building.

* * * * *

In all his many years Happosai had never seen or experienced anything so… so… wow, he really couldn't find any words to describe it. Though the last few years had been fun, they had also been chaotic, but this, this made everything else pale in comparison. He'd seen wars and battles fought, both with ancient weapons and with modern ones, but nothing, nothing he'd seen or participated in could prepare him for what he saw now as the Kuno compound literally came crumbling down around him.

Both Soun and Nodoka had gone off the deep end, and then Akane had gone berserk as well. Kuno didn't count because the boy's entire family was crazy. The chaos and resulting carnage was leaving no one untouched.

"Su!" he shouted as he landed beside one of the hulking metal turtles. "Get out of here; this isn't your fight! Take Kasumi and the doctor!"

Cracking his knuckles the ancient master hoped that the young girl listened. He didn't have time to tell her again. He just hoped that Kasumi was still alive.

Seeing the knuckle-headed Ryoga crash into the wall Happosai knew that he couldn't count on the directionless tank. It wasn't that he didn't think Ryoga couldn't take the hit, more that he wouldn't be able to find his way out of the building.

Leaping into action the ancient grandmaster lobbed another of his homemade grenades at the unfortunate boy that he'd named. _I really liked you too Pantyhose_.

Closing his eyes and covering his ears he charged through the resulting blast. Injured as the cursed boy was, Happosai knew that it'd take a lot more then that to put down the unfortunate boy. Pulling out another grenade he lit the fuse as he landed just meters away from his target.

"Here I am Pantyhose!" he taunted as he lobbed the dressed up grenade at the disoriented youth.

Vision blurred, Taro was at least able to recognize the voice of his tormentor. Though he wanted to lash out at his lifelong nemesis the cursed boy turned Darkseeker instead grasped the tiny martial artist in his mighty hands. The sudden explosion blew his hands off at the wrist, leaving bloody stumps at the forearm where his once mighty hands had been.

Howling in rage and pain, Taro lashed out blindly with his remaining arms.

Nimbly dodging the barrage of blind swipes, Happosai knew that he was quickly draining what little ki he had left. Had he been working with even 50% of his normal ki reserves he wouldn't have had to worry, but with his reserves depleted from the lack of fresh panties, Happosai knew that he had to end the fight quickly.

Reaching into stuff space he pulled out another pair of grenades.

Focused only on Taro and the creature's blind attacks, Happosai failed to consider Akane and her killer intent as a threat as he assumed that the violent girl had come to assist him in avenging her sister.

The sickening sound of his ancient spine snapping rang in his ears. Spared from registering the pain as his severed nerves refused to work, Happosai barely noted the mallet as it came back for his head.

* * * * *

"Su! Get out of here; this isn't your fight! Take Kasumi and the doctor too!"

It was chaos, pure and unadulterated chaos.

"Su!" Motoko shouted into the monitor as she tried to get the normally hyperactive blond to respond. "What's going on Su!"

"She's on shock," Mutsumi explained. "Motoko, I need you to get out of that chair."

Prying her eyes from the monitor Motoko glanced at the older girl.

"Move!" Naru seconded as she yanked the raven haired girl out of the chair.

Moving to fill the void left by Motoko, Mutsumi quickly sat down. Though it appeared as though she were doing nothing more than hitting random buttons (which she wasn't, in fact she didn't hit any buttons) Mutsumi was a woman with a purpose. Pressing a button she waited for a microphone and headset to appear. Swiftly putting it on she didn't even bother to make sure that it fit perfectly.

"Command override," she said as she pushed the microphone to her mouth.

"Command override accepted," the computer acknowledged.

"Mecha Tama (version 11.6) transfer pilot to Mecha Tama (version 12)," the brunette ordered the mecha.

The two hulking metal turtles stirred to life as they sought to fulfill their new controller's command. In a matter of moments Su was forcibly ejected from one and then inserted into the other mecha.

"Mecha Tama (version 11.6) pick up subjects designated Tofu and Kasumi," Mutsumi ordered.

The now empty mecha moved to comply.

One of the monitors displayed the titanic battle between the enraged but battle dougi enhanced Akane, the injured but still dangerous Pantyhose Taro, and a now enraged Ranma. Though Taro had the reach and power advantage, his injuries were mounting up. Ranma was clearly the better fighter, but his own injuries were also beginning to take a toll on him. Akane with her battle dougi was forced to trade blows with Taro but wouldn't allow Ranma to gain an upper hand either. Even though Ranma and Akane were supposed to be helping each other it was clear that Akane was out to get destroy or kill everything and anyone.

"Kasumi!" Dr. Tofu cried out hoarsely as he and his first love were thrown into the cockpit.

"Sorry about that," Mutsumi apologized. "Mecha Tamas join!"

Ambling together the two metal turtles linked together, Mecha Tama (version 12) on top of Mecha Tama (11.6). Slowly the mecha on top lifted its legs until they were nearly perpendicular to the ground. Suddenly the legs spouted fire as the four jet engines lifted the joined mecha off the ground.

"Kasumi!" the doctor shouted as he checked the limp girl's pulse.

"No!" Su shouted as she was brought out of her stupor. "Mutsumi, I have to go back! They're still down there!"

Naru fought back her tears as she held Motoko to her. She knew that the samurai girl would try and force Mutsumi to send Su back for any possible survivors, but it was too late.

Su continued to protest as her merged mecha ascended into the air as they sought to bring her home. The others watched in silence as the compound grew smaller and smaller as the flames from Su's napalm light the area in a red glow. The sudden appearance of a green sphere of light filled the monitors as a globe of pale green light slowly lifted into the air before crashing down onto the compound and blanketing the screens in pitch black.

* * * * *

Ryoga hated his life. This was why he hated Ranma. Crawling out of the rubble of the broken and battered room the tiny black piglet squeaked. Aside from being able to sneak into Akane's bed unnoticed (which was why he was in his current situation, well, part of it) his cursed form had few benefits. It was smaller, slower, less durable, and weaker. All were minuses in the useful body categories -especially for a martial artist.

"Oooaagh," someone moaned.

Unwilling to give up despite his current circumstances, P-chan pulled himself to his feet and over to the source of the painful moan.

_Kami_, the piglet thought as he viewed the carnage. Ukyo and Nodoka Saotome both lay bloodied and battered under the remains of the watchtower. From the looks of things it had collapsed onto the main (or was it the side?) building, somehow trapping the two women (well, woman and girl). This wasn't supposed to happen! No!!!

A pale green light filled the ruined building. Steadily growing it soon filled the entire room before pushing past the collapsed walls, pushing the wrecked walls over as the intense pressure continued to build.

* * * * *

The red haze clouded his vision as he fought blindly. Only his opponents stood before him; that was all he needed to see. His highly trained and conditioned body reacted as though on automatic, flipping out of the way of wild swipes and punches, deftly defying gravity as he hovered over his opponents by using their own momentum and force to keep him airborne.

Tired and battered, Ranma knew he needed to end the fight as quickly as possible. Luring his opponents towards the pit he flipped over and behind Akane. Gently landing, he nimbly kicked out at the fist-sized rocks that lay on the ground, pelting the pair with a rain of stones that distracted them long enough to land a solid kick to the small of Akane's back. With just enough force he sent the berserker flying into the startled and still distracted Taro, knocking both of them over the ledge (and over a still recovering Soun Tendo).

Exhausted and injured, Ranma collapsed. The howls from the Darkseekers outside of the compound failed to do anything for him. He was spent both physically and emotionally.

Even the red haze didn't bother him. No, what bothered him was that each time he closed his eyes he saw something truly terrifying; images that he'd never be able to clear from his mind or soul. First there was Kuno, the unfortunate, insane fool that he was, flying through the wall and fence before being mauled by the Darkseekers and ultimately blown up by Su. Then there was his mother and Ukyo battling an enraged Akane before falling with the watchtower as it crashed into the side building. The list was too long, too painful, to consider. Virtually everyone who he knew, everyone that he had called either friend or family was dead.

Only the appearance of the pale green light near the eastern side building brought the boy out of his brief depression. _Ryoga…. Ryoga!_

* * * * *

A/N

Sigh… That was a long chapter. This is what my muse has been trying to get me to post. I just couldn't stop it at my usual ten pages, and it just kept going and going….

Well, hopefully everyone will have a nice and safe weekend (a good Labor Day weekend to all the Yanks). I'll try and update my other fics next week or so. I need to let this chapter and all the build up to it soak in. You know, I've been waking up early every day this week just to add more to this chapter (and the last few) just to get to this point. I hope the few of you who read this fic enjoy it. To all the rest of you, yeah, I'll get back to my other fics soon enough.

As always, read and review. I really want to know what you all think of this fic and this chapter in particular.

Dreamingfox


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Notes -

As always, I'm simply a fanfiction author. Aside from owning copies of the respective manga and a copy of the movie, I don't own Ranma ½, Love Hina, Ai Yori Aoshi, or I am Legend.

While I would happily ship Ranma x Ukyo and Ryoga x Akane, I would say that the odds of those ships lasting in this fic (especially figuring how the last chapter ended) are slim to none. I realize that the chaos that happened in the last chapter might be a bit more than Ranma is used to, but given the stress of basically being locked up together would eventually make them snap, things that gradually happened in the last few chapters simply helped push them over the edge.

Yes, many tragedies and traumas endured everyone at the Kuno compound and even those watching what happened. But just who survived?

Sorry, but it's time to spend some time with Keitaro and Tina.

*****

The falling sakura blossoms filled the air with a sweet scent, hinting at the warm cool spring night. Keitaro sighed as he took in the beautiful spring scene.

"It's beautiful," Naru said as she cradled his head in her lap.

"Just like when we returned from our trip to Okinawa when we met Mutsumi," the be-speckled young man added.

Looking up at the auburn haired girl's smile Keitaro sat up.

"But I think I'll always remember last spring the most," he said as he gazed into her eyes. "Because that's when I realized that I was in love with you."

"Keitaro," Naru exclaimed.

Before she could say anything more Keitaro brought his face to hers, kissing her gently but lovingly. Slowly the two lowered themselves so that they were laying down on the soft, but firm mattress.

Feeling Naru's warm, silky skin in his hands, Keitaro began to caress her bare shoulders. Bit by painstaking bit Keitaro found his hands creeping down to her breasts. _She hasn't belted me yet_. Tentatively he cupped her large, firm breasts in his hands.

Hearing her gentle moans as he fondled her breasts he eased his hands under her barely there bikini. Tweaking her hard nipples he slipped one hand around to her back before struggling with her bikini top. Freeing her bountiful breasts from the tight confines of their prison he trailed kisses down her neck before nuzzling against the ample mounds of flesh.

*****

Tina let out a gentle moan as Keitaro somehow untied her bikini top. For an unconscious and supposedly concussed man his fingers and hands were surprisingly nimble. Unfortunately his lips and tongue work left a lot to be desired, but the way his fingers were making her feel, the busty blond could forgive that.

Wrapping her arms around his head and neck she pressed her lips against his. Running her fingers through his hair she felt a sensual shiver run through her body as his lips closed around first one nipple, then the other. Raking his neck and back with her nails she arched her back as he teased her erect nipples with his warm mouth and coarse tongue.

"Mmmm," he purred. "Naru…"

Tina froze. He loved someone else, not her. As good as it felt physically, the blond knew that she couldn't just go through with, well, with _it_.

"No," she managed to gasp, "Keitaro, please, no."

Wrapping her arms around him the busty blond pressed her ample assets against his chest as she squeezed the air out of his chest. The sudden, shape pain in his ribs woke the startled young man.

"Na-… Tina?" he said, his mind slowly catching up with his body. "Wh-what happened?"

"N..nothing," the blond replied, clinging to his sweaty chest. Taking long, purposeful breaths that were supposed to sooth her nerves, the normally bubbly girl couldn't help but wonder if smelling his sweaty body was the best thing for her to do at the time. "Just hold me.

In no real position to not comply, Keitaro lowered himself onto his back before wrapping his arms around her shoulders and neck.

*****

"This is worse than I had expected," the ancient headmaster of Mahora Academy stated as he looked down at the report. "Over ninety percent of the population has been wiped out in the span of a few scant months."

The scruffy, lean man with spiky blond hair nodded. "If not for the magical barrier we erected around the campus we would have suffered similar losses. As it is, we've lost over three quarters of the non-magical students when their families pulled them from school. After that I'd estimate that we lost over seventy percent of the remaining students and staff once the virus hit Japan. It appears that those with some magic ability are immune to the virus to some degree, but not everyone has enough magic to actually perform spells or even to form pactio with someone."

The headmaster nodded.

"Sir," another teacher said as he stood up and addressed the gathered staff, "despite Negi's discovery regarding how people with magical ability are immune to the airborne virus, it's clear that we magi are still susceptible to the contact or blood-borne strain. We've lost several magical students to the virus when they were bitten while on patrol."

"Sir," a woman dressed as a nun said as she stood up to support the other teacher's statement, "we've lost over a dozen staff during our nightly patrols. Even with our magic we can't repel the nightly attacks."

The headmaster nodded, "Thank you Sister Shakti, Akashi-sensei; we'll increase production of the battle robots and androids but for now we'll have to settle on being more vigilant during our nightly patrols."

Both staff members nodded before sitting down.

"It's clear that we can no longer keep magic a secret," Konoemon stated. "Then again, there isn't much left of the human population that would care that it does exist. As of now I'm lifting our restrictions on the use of magic in front of non-magic users."

A light murmur filled the room as the assembled staff discussed the repercussions of such a decree. A sharp look was all that he needed to silence the room.

"We've lost communication with every group regardless of their affiliation," the headmaster stated. Turning his gaze at the youngest of his staff, the old man forced a smile as the ten year old English teacher fought to stay awake despite being mentioned minutes ago. "There are greater dangers to us then remaining hidden from the rest of the world.

"Now, what of the eerie green light that several patrols had reported last night?" he asked as he turned his attention to another report.

A well dressed man with a black goatee stood up and quickly pulled down a large map. "From the many reports that we received from various patrols, an unnatural sickly green light appeared in the north. Looking at satellite images from last night you can see that the light was visible even in space."

"Was it a nuclear reactor blowing up?" someone asked.

The well dressed man shook his head. "We checked the coordinates; there wasn't a reactor in the area or even a military base."

A dark-skinned mage stood up and pointed to another map. "It was a Nerima," the mage declared.

More murmurs filled the room. Everyone had heard of the district famous for its martial artists and their many various styles.

Throwing another stern look at the assembled staff, the headmaster waited for the silence to once again claim the room.

"With our limited resources we've decided not to send a party out to investigate," the dark-skinned mage stated.

"Thank you Kataragi-sensei, Gandolfini-sensei," Konoemon said. "Kuzunoha-sensei?"

A tall, lean woman stood up, drawing all eyes as she did so. "There were reports of a flying monster in the area were there not?"

The scruffy blond nodded, "It had been seen in that area before, but as we do not have any agents in the area we cannot confirm if it was the same creature. We're not sure if it was the same creature that was in Kyoto or not."

An awkward silence filled the room as the two teachers eyed each other. Finally the swordswoman sat down.

A wiry sigh escaped the old mage as he leaned back against his comfortable chair. Looking around the room at the handful of staff that remained he rubbed his tired eyes. "Dismissed."

*****

The burning hot sun shone into the young man's eyes, slowly forcing him awake despite his protesting skull. Everything hurt – his arms, his feet, his legs, his head, his heart… everything. From the position of the sun he was sure that it was close to noon.

Exhausted despite the long nap, the youth managed to sit up. The sound of his grumbling stomach drowned out all other sound, not that there was much, reminding him of his basic bodily needs.

Looking around he knew that he'd have to put pleasing his protesting stomach further down the list of his things to do. Surveying the damage he hoped that the lost boy/pig hadn't gone too far.

*****

It wasn't unusual to find Su busy at work. The inventive young mechanical genius had after all designed and built the fortifications all around the Hinata Sou as well as eleven of the twelve versions of Mecha Tama. But today, today was different. Though the blond still ran around her workshop energetically it was clear that the mood in the workshop was different. Gone was the playfulness and carefree demeanor that the girl usually had. Instead a sense of dread and fearfulness hung in the air as Su forced her work.

"We're not letting you go back out there," Motoko said as she stood in the doorway of the workshop.

"I know," Su shot back irritably. "You don't want to put me in danger."

Motoko nodded firmly. "It's not safe out there."

"But I have to know," the smaller girl replied. "So I'm sending Mecha Tama (version 13) out to scout the compound."

"What about the data you retrieved from Todai?" Naru asked as she tried to divert the normally cheerful young girl onto another tangent.

"It can wait," Su answered as she lit a torch.

"What about Kasumi's funeral?" the auburn haired girl asked.

Battered and bleeding, the eldest of the Tendo daughters had not survived. Dr. Tofu had guessed that she'd died when that boy, Ranma, had been thrown into her. Naru knew better but had chosen not to dispute the point, letting the man believe that the love of his life had not been alive to suffer through the seven broken ribs, punctured lung, and broken collar bone. It was a painful way to die, drowning on one's own blood.

Su paused. "I'll come down when I'm done."

*****

The light of day really didn't seem to help things, especially after a long, restless night.

"We need to get back," Keitaro shouted above the light rain. "The weather's getting worse."

"Looks like we're on the edge of a typhoon," Tina shouted back as she eyed the clouds. "I'm going to switch to the motor."

Keitaro nodded as he secured the sails.

Enduring the storm, the pair managed to anchor their ship in what they hoped was a good, safe place far from any rocks. Soaked through and exhausted, Keitaro clung to Tina's hand as she led him up to the lighthouse.

Grateful for the rain drops on his glasses, Keitaro knew that even if he tried he couldn't get a good view of Tina's shapely buttocks. Considering all that had nearly happened the previous night, Keitaro was sure that he wouldn't have stopped if Tina hadn't stopped him.

Lost in thought Keitaro bumped into Tina's firm rear as the bubbly blond come to a sudden stop.

*****

"I knew that it was dangerous," Chao stated as she eyed a copy of the same report that the Headmaster had been reading. "That's why I stopped studying medicine and genetic engineering."

The short blond child nodded as she looked up at her taller companion. "You may not have consciously planned it, but your presence did change the time flow and history. Your brilliant insights helped inspire other brilliant minds to continue work that was abandoned in your time as being too dangerous."

"You don't have to lecture me Evangeline," the raven haired girl stated as she prepared to return home. "Just make sure that you use my Martian army to protect Negi and the others."

The day-walking vampire nodded as her companion's skin light up with the dark runic magic that had been ingrained into the young girl's very flesh and magic pathways. "You know that it's not your home you're returning to," Eva stated. "Even though you may not have wanted things to happen this way, your presence here changed the future regardless."

"I know," Chao replied, a somber look in her determined eyes. "But I have to see it; I can't just let things go like this."

With a shrug Eva sighed. Despite her brilliance and intelligence it was clear that Chao had inherited more than just Negi's magical ability. It had been the girl's desire to make the world, her world, a better place by exposing the world to the existence of magic. But the high science that she had merged with the magic had proven to be her undoing as unenlightened minds sought to use her ideas and information in new and dangerous ways.

"'The road to hell is paved with good intentions'," Evangeline quoted as her classmate disappeared. "Good luck," she whispered, not sure if Chao could hear her as the faint magical light faded.

*****

The pain in his heart and the huge knot in his stomach the pigtailed boy forced himself to rummage through the broken remains of the Kuno compound. The sight of his father's mangled corpse had greeted him into consciousness. Since then he'd found himself much less hungry then before. Working on an empty stomach he fought back the urge to throw up as he spotted a bloody stain on the floor.

His Herculean strength made short work of the twisted and shredded metal beams and concrete slabs as he tossed the remains of the building out of his way. Falling to the ground as his knees gave out beneath him the youth refrained from crying at the sight of the broken bodies of his mother and his best friend (and lover).

"AAAHHH!" he screamed as he looked up at the unforgiving sun.

Voice echoing off the empty buildings Ranma stopped screaming as he spotted the edge of the perfectly round crater.

*****

The feel of Keitaro's erection as he bumped into her butt sent an arousing thrill through Tina's body as she wrestled with the door. _Damn!_ Not sure if she was frustrated with the door, or because she had stopped him the previous night, the blond managed to pull the door open, reveling in the feeling of Keitaro pressed against her as she backed up.

Stepping into the cool building she waited for her shorter companion to follow after her. Slamming the door closed she locked it and threw the two by four against it to keep the wind from pulling the door open.

"Why don't you get the fire going?" she suggested. "I'll go and make sure all the windows are closed."

Keitaro nodded before rushing into the storage closet. Pulling out a bag of wood pellets he dumped them into the steel stove that heated not only the small building but the water as well.

"Aah!"

Spinning around, Keitaro wasn't sure what to expect. Even with the rain drops obscuring and blurring his vision he could tell that she was jumping up and down.

"Gah! It's cold," she stated as she pulled off her already soaking wet shirt. "We can't stay in our wet clothes."

Though he was basically blind, Keitaro turned around to give the busty girl some privacy.

*****

One year and six months ago the world had welcomed the news that Dr. Krippin had supposedly cured cancer. Twelve months ago no one could have imagined that the genetically altered virus would cause those one hundred and four survivors of the initial test subjects to mutate, turning them into creatures that could not stand the light and craved fresh, warm blood. Nine months ago the virus mutated – no longer limited to spreading through direct contact and exchange of bodily fluids, it had gone airborne. Six months ago the virus reached Europe and Africa, making it very difficult for the young mage remain in Japan as the island nation sought to expel all non-natives. If not for some sneaky magic which had erased all record of him officially remaining in Japan, the child mage would probably have been forced to leave along with many other internationally born teachers and staff.

Though the school had officially been closed, Setsuna knew that the powers that be had done so only to protect the remaining students and staff safe from the virus. Watching as her childhood friend and Asuna tended to their still slumbering former homeroom teacher, the young Shinmeiryuu swordswoman kept her guard up.

Though the school was protected by a magical barrier that kept the air free of the airborne virus, there was no guarantee that the virus wouldn't make it into the barrier. The growing number of attacks by the Darkseekers in the past few nights had lead to many injuries among both the student and staff patrols.

As members of their respective patrols, both Negi and Setsuna were tired from their nightly patrols. But it was the eerie green light from the south that had bothered the young hanyo. The feeling of pure despair had come over not only her, but her entire patrol when they had spotted the unnatural light the previous night. Overwhelmed by the powerful emotion, many of her group had simply stood still as they viewed the odd sight. Fortunately nothing happened as the Darkseekers had mysterious chosen not to attack that night.

Still, the young swordswoman couldn't shake the feeling that something bad had happened.

Walking out to the balcony the young swordswoman spotted a familiar figure.

"Kuzunoha-sensei," the hanyo said with a polite bow.

"Sakurazaki," the elder swordswoman replied. "Something has happened in Kyoto."

Setsuna tensed as she feared the worst.

"The school was attacked," Kuzunoha stated. "The survivors are being sent here."

Slightly relieved, Setsuna let out a light sigh.

"Aoyama-sama is going to collect her sister," the older woman added. "Once Motoko arrives here she will be expected to assume control of the school."

The young swordswoman tensed again. Motoko was arguably the best fighter the Shinmeiryuu had produced, second only to her elder sister Tsuruko. Only her notorious dislike for men was matched by her distain for demons. As a hanyo, Setsuna knew that her fate in the Shinmeiryuu would depend on how willing the new head of the school felt about having a half-demon remain in the school. Tsuruko had allowed her to practice and even thrive in the school, but Motoko was not known for being as flexible as her older, wiser, and more practical sister.

*****

The slowly sinking sun cast long shadows on the treed hill. Though it was still a few hours before nightfall the shadows appeared to be much darker to the five survivors. Silently the small group paid their last respects to the departed.

For the trio of women who had only known of Kasumi Tendo but never actually met her, it was a chance for them to put a face to the tragedy that had encompassed all of them. For Su who had only limited interactions with Kasumi it was a chance to pay her respects to all who had passed the previous night. Though things had gone horribly wrong at the Kuno compound, they (particularly Ranma) had shown her a great courtesy by allowing her to stay with them while she waited to return to her home.

But for Dr. Tofu it was harder. Never able to express his love to the beautiful and kind woman even given the dire circumstances that they both endured in the past few months, Dr. Tofu couldn't help but blame himself for his shortcomings and for not being able to make the most of his time with her.

"We should go," Motoko said as she eyed the long creeping shadows.

With all eyes on him, Dr. Tofu nodded before turning to lead the women back into the Hinata Sou.

*****

The smell of freshly cooked rice (soaked then steamed, not the rice cooker kind) filled his nostrils. Starved, the young man stirred as he slowly fought to regain consciousness.

"Uugh!" he moaned as he opened his eyes.

"Hey Bacon-breath," a familiar voice called out to him.

"Ranma," he growled weakly, instinctively turning to face his rival.

"I wasn't sure that I could wake you up," the raven haired boy stated as he scooped some rice into a bowl.

Blinking, Ryoga cleared his vision. _Wait, what happened? How'd I turn back?_

"You didn't wake up when I splashed you with warm water," Ranma explained. "And I wasn't even going to try and dress you."

Bolting into a sitting position Ryoga turned to his lone companion. "Yo-your mother…"

"Buried," the pigtailed boy grimaced. Taking a deep breath Ranma stood tall as he straightened his back and looked up. "Kuno, mom, pops, Ukyo, and Happosai - all of them dead; and all of them buried."

"What… what happened?"

"Akane snapped," Ranma said, the simple everyday action seemingly answering everything.

Ryoga wanted to shout, to protest and deny that the soft-hearted and kind girl he crushed on (and slept with) had it in her to hurt a fly. _But she isn't weak and she definitely knows how to hurt people. How many times have I seen her launch Ranma with a kick or with her mallet?_

"What happened to Akane and Taro?"

"I ripped his wings so he couldn't fly," the pigtailed martial artist stated. "Got into a three-way with the two of them and knocked them into the pit."

Holding the small bowl of rice in his hands Ryoga just couldn't bring himself to eat despite his previous hunger.

"Eat up," Ranma ordered him. "We need to get out of here; it's not safe anymore."

Not bothering with chopsticks the bandana wearing boy wolfed down the meager serving of food.

"I guess we dug the pit a bit too deep," Ranma stated as he set a pile of ragged clothes next to his rival. "The bottom fell out – I guess Akane or Taro smashed through it to get out."

Dressing himself quickly Ryoga noted the odd watch that Ranma had given him. "What's this? I know what time it is already."

"It's not a watch," the other boy replied. "GPS – that way I'll know where you are and you won't get lost. Also has a radio, just like the walkie talkies. Just don't break it."

Grabbing everything salvageable Ranma threw them into a stuff-space pocket.

"Where are going?" the fanged boy asked as he finished dressing.

"The zoo," Ranma replied as he leapt onto a nearby roof.

The pair quickly set off. With only a few more hours of light left the young martial artists knew that they needed to find somewhere safe to spend the night. Despite spending much of the day sleeping, neither boy was sure that they could spend the entire night fighting off a horde of Darkseekers.

"I'm going to need you to use the breaking point all around the zoo," Ranma explained as he led his directionless rival on. "Once you've completed a moat I'll break the fire hydrants and fill it in. As long as none of the Darkseekers fly we should be safe from them."

"Why the zoo?"

Ranma shrugged, "Aside from needing a moat, it's pretty easy to defend without all the extra equipment. There's a huge wall that's designed to keep the animals in, and there are plenty of small islands and moats for us to hide out on if needed. It should also have enough animals around that we can use them for food if it comes to that."

Ryoga nodded. "Sounds good, I guess."

An hour later the pair found themselves in a nice open clearing. True, it wasn't the zoo (which had been overrun by the tiger, panda, bears, and apes. The same fortifications that they had hoped to set up against the Darkseekers did not keep them safe from the animals.

After a long evening of working to fortify their new stronghold Ranma felt like rewarding himself. Sure, he was only seventeen, but it didn't matter, who was there to lecture him about underage drinking?

Slugging the vending machine he waited for it to dispense a beer. After a few seconds of waiting the pigtailed boy slugged it again, then again with no result.

"Argh!" he shouted as he slammed it into the ground, breaking the machine. The resulting spray of cold beer from the many ruptured cans sprayed the now female martial artist. "Dammit!"

"Would you shut up?!" Ryoga shouted as he clocked Ranma over the head. "I'm trying to get some sleep here!"

"Shut up!" an equally pissed off Ranma shouted as she punched her long time rival, sending him crashing into one of the unkempt trees in the beer garden.

"Argh!" the bandana wearing boy shouted as he stomped over to Ranma. "Now I'm completely awake! Damn you Ranma! Must you make my life miserable?! You-"

"Shut up and drink," Ranma ordered her rival. Cracking open a beer she handed it to her companion before opening one for herself.

"Pff, fine," the bandana wearing boy said before downing the cool, refreshing beverage.

Slamming her own beer, Ranma crushed the empty can. "Ahh, that's not too bad."

"You're right," Ryoga replied. "I don't know why they limit this to adults."

*****

Keitaro trembled. It wasn't so much that he was cold, no, he was far from it. Despite spending the day soaking wet the young man was very warm, hot even. Focusing on the pouring rain the nearsighted young man tried valiantly to ignore the feel of warm, silky flesh pressed against his arm and chest. It also didn't help knowing that that creamy white skin belonged to a busty and very attractive young woman made it all the harder for him to ignore.

Having huddled up together in the tiny bed, Keitaro was feeling very frustrated – not because he didn't like Tina, because he did like her. But he loved Naru. He couldn't betray his love for her regardless of how attracted he was to Tina.

Sighing, Keitaro tried to listen to the rain drops as they splashed onto the roof.

*****

Rattling cans littered the small opening as the gentle wind rocked them. The occasional roar from the Darkseekers on the other side of the moat drowned out the light sound, only to be lost beneath the deafening belches of the two occupants of the garden.

"This isn't that bad," the pigtailed girl stated as she let out another belch. "I could probably…"

Slouching forward, the redhead began to snore.

"Make sure to save some for tomorrow night," the heavily unbalanced martial artist ordered as he swayed slightly on his right foot. Growling at the sight of his unconscious companion Ryoga shifted to his left foot. Focusing his attention he threw an empty can at Ranma's head only to find himself uncertain of which Ranma to hit. Picking up two more empty cans (actually just the one in his hand) the bandana wearing boy threw them at the blurry trio of redheads. "Wake up!" the drunken boy shouted as he fell backwards. Crashing down onto the ground, Ryoga was already lost to the world before his head even hit the ground.

*****

A/N

Sigh…. I know, I really didn't want to, but I brought Negima into the mix. Don't expect me to keep up with them. I just needed to establish that Mahora and all the cast there are around.

Yes, I know, I broke the 'thou shall not harm Kasumi' rule, but it was necessary. Characters will not remain untouched, everyone will be scarred in some way.

Dreamingfox


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Notes

I obviously don't own Ranma ½, Love Hina, Negima, Ai Yori Aoshi, or I am Legend. Turns out I'm just not that good a writer (yet). Still, if I did I wouldn't be posting fanfiction, at least not here… I'd probably have to get my own website and all.

Anyways, Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed, those handful of you out there (yeah, I know you've read the fic, but why haven't you reviewed it?).

*****

"Aaagh!"

The tiny redhead groaned as the bright sunlight hit her face. Unwilling turn her face away from the giant star in the sky she barely managed to put her arm over her eyes, sheltering them from the bright light. A slight irritation over her lips and chin registered in the back of her still groggy head.

Hearing her companion stirring awake the petit girl tried to force herself up. Ten thousand tiny but painful mallets hammered her skull in protest. Only her bladder's urgent desire to relieve itself prompted the girl to crawl to her feet. Stumbling, somehow the unsteady girl managed to make it to the bushes before pulling her pants down.

Standing up again a wave of nausea overwhelmed her, forcing her to vomit out what little she managed to consume the night before. Stomach empty, Ranma pulled her pants up before walking over to the campsite.

"Argh!" her companion groaned. "I feel I was learning the Bakusai Tenketsu again but with my head."

"Drink," Ranma instructed, "pops, old man Tendo, and Happosai used to always say that the best way to get over a hangover is to drink it under."

Pulling out several cans the redhead rolled one over to her still prone companion.

*****

A lone figure stood atop the ruined remains of Tokyo tower, gazing down at the once proud city that had been reduced to rubble. "Tokyo, no, Japan is nothing like when we left it," the raven haired girl stated as she held a golden urn.

"No, it's not," a second voice, this one supposedly belonging to a black cat with large ears.

"Regardless of where we looked we still couldn't find him," the slim girl stated. "But as I promised I have returned to Japan."

Opening the urn the girl tipped it over, scattering the remains of her adoptive grandmother into the air.

"So, how do we find Keitaro?" the cat asked as the last of ashes disappeared into the air.

"We don't," the girl replied. "I have faith that he'll return home. We have to make sure that there is a home for him to return to."

*****

Tokyo was in shambles, well, this district of Tokyo was at least. Decimated walls, broken glass, and twisted steel were all that remained of many fallen buildings; others were simply steel I-beams surrounded by piles of rubble. Other than the trees and the occasional telephone pole nothing stood over two stories tall for nearly two kilometers.

Stabbing a crushed and emptied beer can with her sword the young master martial artist touched the still cool aluminum surface.

"Bakusai Tenketsu!"

A loud explosion filled the air. Turning her head the swordswoman sheathed her blade before setting off towards the source of the sound. Oddly enough there was a trail of empty and crushed beer cans littering the ground, almost as though whoever it was had left the cans in their wake.

"Bakusai Tenketsu!"

In the distance a building began to sway before slowly toppling onto its neighbor.

"Shi Shi Hokodan!"

An pale green light filled the already light sky, casting odd shadows before it rocketed into the air, only to fall back down. The resulting cloud of dust from the toppled buildings and the green ball of energy forced Tsuruko to cover her eyes as she came to a sudden stop.

"Dude!" another voice shouted, filling the air with a distinctly feminine voice. "You nearly took out that tree!"

Opening her eyes the swordswoman shook and brushed off some of the concrete dust.

"Hey, it wasn't supposed to fall that way!" a distinctly male voice shouted back.

Irritated by the destruction that the individuals were apparently wrecking for no real reason, the swordswoman broke into a steady run.

The sound of metal being snapped and of high pressure water hitting the pavement filled the silent void as the two (possibly more) individuals turned their attention back to whatever it was they were doing.

Popping the head of a fire hydrant off with a ki-enforced stop sign, Ranma let the water fill the man-made gorge around their man-made islands.

"You think that's enough?" Ryoga asked as he wiped off the concrete dust that caked his face and neck.

The redheaded girl shrugged. "I hope so; I'd hate to have to dig a trench all the way out to Tokyo Bay just to get enough water to fill these gorges. We'll probably have to go down the line and pop off more fire hydrants just to fill up all the trenches."

The bandana wearing boy nodded.

Surveying the landscaping that they'd managed to do over the course of the day the pair nodded in satisfaction.

"Once we're done we can release the animals in the zoo," the redhead stated. "That should give them enough time today to explore and find a new home for themselves."

Sitting himself down on a large stone slab, the taller of the two sighed. "Man, I'm beat."

"It would have gone faster if you'd just teach me the Bakusai Tenketsu," the redhead shouted drunkenly. Pulling several cans out of stuff space she tossed one to her companion.

*****

A deep breath failed to restore the boy's calm regardless of how many times the young mage tried it. Sensing the disruption of magical and natural energies beyond the World Tree's barrier, the powerful but inexperienced mage could not calm his spirit.

"You feel it to, don't you," the blond vampire stated rather then asked. "Have you found out anything Chachamaru?"

The lean gynoid shook her head, "Negative master; there are no satellites in the vicinity, but I am trying to get some into place. It will take at least two more hours to get one into position."

The tiny day walking vampire nodded. Even with her powers limited by the curse the blond vampire could feel the flow of energy that affected not only herself and those protected by the barrier. "As much as I want to send out your sisters to investigate, we cannot spare any of them given the increasing number of Darkseekers that roam the night."

Chuckling evilly, the vampire couldn't help but see the irony of the situation. As a true, magical vampire, Eva couldn't help but note both the similarities and differences between real vampires and the mutated humans turned Darkseekers. Both creatures craved the warm blood of their victims, their bites even able to turn normal humans (even magical ones) into creatures that feared the light of day. But real vampires maintained their intelligence and souls, something that the Darkseekers appeared to be lacking.

Shaking of her thoughts Eva focused her attention on her newest pupil and homeroom teacher, "How many of the girls have you made a pactio with?"

The young mage gulped, "Um, well, there's Yue, Asuna, Haruna, Konoka, and Setsuna."

"That's less then a fifth of the class," the tiny ermine said as he perched himself onto Negi's shoulder.

"Chamo," Negi said, startled by his familiar's sudden appearance, "have you heard anything from Wales?"

The ermine shook his head, "Nothing."

"We haven't heard from them since just after the headmaster altered your records so that you didn't have to return to England," Chachamaru stated.

"We just lost communications with Kyoto last night as well," Setsuna volunteered.

"It appears that things have gotten worse faster then we expected," Eva stated. "I doubt that even the World Tree can protect us much longer."

*****

The steel structure beneath her trembled as another building crumbled in the distance. Awed by the city wide destruction Kanako Urashima simply watched as the skyline that was once filled with skyscrapers slowly vanished as the many buildings fell to some mysterious force. Curious, the slender youth dashed towards the elevator.

*****

Ryoga couldn't help but think that something was off. True, he was drunk off his ass (still) and so was Ranma (still in her female form) so things didn't make as much sense as usual. Maybe he'd taken one too many hits the other night, but it was probably just the beer. Yeah, it definitely had to be the beer. Not only was it throwing off his balance, but it was throwing off his senses as well. Ranma was in his, er, her girl form; there was no way she'd grow a beard.

Taking a step forward (actually three lumbering hops to his right) the bandana wearing boy crashed through a wall. The subsequent step (four hops to the left) brought him back through the same wall, only a few paces ahead of the other hole.

"Yeah," Ranma shouted, "that should be the last building for today. We should probably start getting ready for tonight."

"It'd be easier if you helped out," the bandana wearing boy said as he crashed through the wall once again.

"Fine!" the redhead shouted as she sprang to her feet. Even though she lacked her rival's durability and power the powerful martial artist knew she'd be able to take the building down. Grabbing a steel beam (actually a smashed light pole) Ranma swung (spinning several times) and connected with the building (actually the one across the street from the one Ryoga had crashed through). The thunderous impact shattered the wall and sent a deafening sound wave that shattered windows for kilometers around.

"Ha!" the fanged boy shouted. "You didn't even hit the right building!"

Ryoga's eyes bulged as he watched the building slowly sway and then shift forward as it leaned towards the building he was standing in front of. The resulting cloud of dust and debris left both Ranma and Ryoga covered in cement dust.

"I think I need a bath," Ranma declared as she shook the grey dirt off of her face. Stripping off her top and her pants Ranma looked around.

"Damn you Ranma!" Ryoga shouted from beneath the pile of debris that buried him. "Bakusai Tenketsu!"

The pile of debris grew shorter before a blast of water came up from between the remains of the building.

"Damn, I forgot to heat up some water for a bath," the redhead mumbled.

*****

"There's nothing else we can do," the ancient headmaster said as he reviewed their options. "We must seal off the campus completely."

The scruffy blond stood up as he cleared his throat. "If we do that then there's no way that we can interact with the rest of the world."

"For now perhaps," Kataragi countered. "But when the situation is more stable we can always return."

"Return?" Negi asked, unsure of what the goateed man was referring to.

"Yes, return," Konoemon repeated. "The first step will be to seal the campus to keep everyone else outside. The second step will be to create a temporary portal to Kyoto so that we can use the Gateport to access the Magical World."

"But what if…" Negi protested only to fumble with what he wanted to say.

"If anyone does not wish to go to the Magical world then they will have to leave the campus tonight," the ancient mage stated. "Once erected, the barrier will remain for three days. That should give us enough time link the campus to Kyoto."

*****

The howling winds and hard rains continued to pound the small cabin, forcing the two occupants to stay inside for another day.

"We should probably head out once the weather clears," Keitaro said as he wrung out his wet clothes then hung them before the wood pellet stove.

"Do we have enough supplies?" the normally bubbly blond asked.

"With everything that we've already packed into the hold of the sailboat we should easily make it up the coast to the next city," Keitaro explained. "We can check for supplies once we get there."

"I'm going to miss this place," Tina said as she rolled her extra panties up.

Averting his eyes, Keitaro focused on his own clothes.

"Keitaro?"

"Yeah?" he replied, not turning around to face her.

The feel of her firm breasts pressed against his back caused him to drop the shirt he'd been wringing out.

"I, I don't want to be alone anymore," she whispered, her hot breath caressing his ears and neck. "Am I not attractive to you?"

Grabbing her hand he pressed it to his chest. "No," he replied as he turned around to face her. The sight of Tina's bare breasts in the warm light of the fire brought a light blush to his face.

Gently leaning forward the blond placed her warm, hungry lips on Keitaro's.

For a moment Keitaro trembled as he felt her passion spread through his entire body before he pulled back.

"There's no guarantee that we'll both make it back to Japan," Tina whispered. "Please, let me have this, just once… just…"

Putting his finger to her lips he silenced her.

Taking his finger into her mouth she gently licked it.

A warm feeling passed through his body as he felt her suck on his finger. With his free hand he cupped her breast it so that his thumb could caress her erect nipple. Withdrawing his finger from her mouth he kissed her as he placed his now free hand over her other breast.

Slowly the pair tried to walk back to the bed as they continued to kiss passionately. Unfortunately for the uncoordinated pair they couldn't get past the chair that Keitaro had been hanging his clothes from as first Tina, then Keitaro (with his hands firmly attached to her breasts) fell to the ground.

"Ow," Keitaro exclaimed as he licked his now swelled upper lip.

Tina giggled.

A crooked smile (and a noticeable swelled lip) flashed before her as Keitaro quickly sprang to his feet.

Taking advantage of her position Tina quickly unbuttoned and unzipped his cargo shorts before pulling it and his boxers down around his ankles.

A chill ran through Keitaro's body as he felt Tina's warm hands envelope his growing erection. Gulping he fought hard not to think of the auburn haired girl back in Tokyo. _No, I can't think about her, not now when I'm with Tina_.

Trembling, he let Tina lead him over to the bed. Placing his hands on her hips he returned the favor as he pulled her short shorts down, revealing her coarse blond hairs. Swallowing hard he pulled his hands away from her glowing body so that he could pull his shirt off.

Now completely naked he sat on the edge of the bed as Tina spread her legs wide.

Lowering herself so that she straddled his lap she licked her lips as Keitaro once again cupped her ample breasts, giving them a playful squeeze. Placing her hands on his shoulders she pulled his face to her fleshy mounds. Running her fingers through his hair she arched her back as he enveloped one of her nipples with his hungry lips and mouth.

Strong hands now gripped her firm ass, massaging the tightly bound muscles before moving onto her thighs. Moaning in pleasure, she felt his hands dance up and down her thighs and buttocks. Overwhelmed by desire, she pushed him down on the bed. Lifting herself up just slightly, she ground her moist womanhood against his shaft. Tina didn't care that Keitaro was digging his nails into her fleshy breasts; all she cared about was the rigid muscle that teased her moist slit.

Recalling something from the porno he'd seen with his two cram school buddies, he slapped her firm ass. Grabbing hold of her he somehow managed to flip them over without falling out of the tiny bed. Now on top, he spread her legs wide as the head of his penis rubbed up against her wet lips.

Thrusting his hips he blinked as he realized that he'd failed to penetrate her. Reaching down, he placed his head against her wetness once again. Slowly, he penetrated her.

A light moan of pleasure escaped Tina's lips as she accepted his offering. Wrapping her legs around his she thrust her hips up, forcing more of him into her. Gently the pair rocked back in forth in their bed, slowly working him deeper into her until he was completely inside of her.

Down on his elbows and knees, he began to slide in and out of her. Soon she was matching his thrusts. The sounds of their sweat soaked bodies colliding were drowned out by their gasps for breath as they moaned and panted.

Twenty plus years of pent-up energy finally exploded inside of both of them.

Keitaro didn't know how long they lay there with him on top of her. Both of them breathing hard and covered in sweat. All he knew was that once they'd regained their breath both of them wanted more.

*****

A/N

Yes, the majority of the Negima cast is going away. They served their purpose. Still, don't expect all the cast to disappear. There are a lot of surprises ahead for everyone.

Oh, yeah, Keitaro finally gave. But he still loves Naru. That's just messy. No, I'm not going to kill Tina. And you can quote me on that.

Dreamingfox


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Notes –

I've decided to stop putting up my usual disclaimer. After ten chapters I would hope that everyone who reads this fic knows that I don't own the rights to the various works that I am borrowing characters, ideas, and concepts from.

*****

Nerima was ablaze as night descended on the nearly vacant ward of Tokyo. Reddish-orange light cast long, flickering shadows among the ruined buildings that had once populated the ward. A giant bonfire consumed the remains of countless telephone poles. Around it an entire street had been dug out and flooded, preventing the flames from needlessly destroying the few remaining buildings in the area.

"You're sure this is going to work?" a bandana wearing figure asked his companion.

"Yep," the naked redhead replied.

Caked in cement dust, the pair eyed the metal dumpster that the redhead had cleaned out then filled with water.

"I checked it, there are no leaks, and I washed it out with bleach twice before rinsing it and refilling it with water," the small girl explained.

"You're sure you're not going to boil us alive?" the taller figure asked.

"There's a reason I had you put the wood on only one side of the tub," the dirty girl stated. Heedless of the fact that she was standing completely naked before a boy, the redhead walked casually over to the dumpster. Grabbing a large bucket of water she dumped it over her head. The results of the rinse were instantly obvious.

Ryoga blinked, not because he was watching a naked girl bathing. "Kami!" he exclaimed.

"What?! You've seen me topless plenty of times!" the redhead shouted. Though her hair retained several gray streaks due to the cement, it was a much brighter red then it had been moments ago.

"You…"

"Have breasts," Ranma shouted irritably as she filled another bucket.

"Have a beard!"

It was Ranma's turn to blink. She hadn't expected him to say that. Looking at her reflection in the water, it was hard for her to actually tell if she had a beard or not given the irregular light from the giant bonfire.

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Grabbing the bucket once again, Ranma splashed her companion.

"Oink!"

"HA!" Ranma shouted. "Now you're hairier than I am!"

*****

Tsuruko couldn't believe the girl's brazenness. The entire time that she'd been following the pair the odd girl had been completely naked. Sure, she was covered in a good layer of dirt and grime, but that was no reason to be walking around completely naked, especially around a young boy/man. Even if they were lovers it was something completely unacceptable. True, the girl had been forced to clean out the dumpster, but such behavior was, well, unbecoming of a true woman.

Having spent the entire evening watching the pair from a distance the swordswoman had been tempted to lay into the pair. Not only for the girl's brazen and unabashed display of her features, but for laying waste to nearly the entire district. Just because they were apparently the only survivors didn't mean that they could wreck such havoc. Buildings toppled, streets destroyed and flooded, empty beer cans littering the entire neighborhood – it was unacceptable.

Only the feeling that someone else was watching the pair had kept the master and acting head of the Shinmeiryuu from taking action earlier.

With the sun quickly setting to the west the swordswoman knew that she'd have to either leave the pair she was observing or join the rowdy couple. True, the young man looked hearty enough, but what of the girl? Clearly the pair seemed to just barely tolerate each other, but the girl's brazen display of her assets suggested that she was the one in charge.

Too far away to hear what they were shouting, she noted the odd change in their behavior. Hearing the boy's loud laughter she couldn't help but wonder what the couple had endured. Suddenly the boy vanished, leaving only the redheaded girl and a… black piglet?

As the girl turned around to rinse herself, Tsuruko noted the girl's wet hair. _Surely the light is playing tricks with my eyes, _she thought to herself_. There's no way she's a man, I'm sure no man has breasts like that. It's probably just her hair clinging to her face…_

*****

Kanako wasn't sure what to make of the odd pair. Clearly they were powerful fighters, destructive, but powerful. Having laid waste to nearly the entire district it was clear that they had some ulterior motive for what they had done.

"Perhaps they are eliminating any possible lairs where the Darkseekers might take refuge," the girl's lone companion suggested.

"No, I don't think that's the reason Kuro," the raven haired girl replied as she stroked her feline companion's head. "Look at all the animals that they freed from the zoo, how they're much more relaxed now that they can roam around freely in the open."

"You think they laid waste to the city just so that the animals could move about freely?"

"I think that they are allowing the animals to roam through the city since there are no humans around," Kanako said. Though it was really just her talking to herself, she felt much better pretending that her companion was talking to her.

"What about the Darkseekers?" she asked herself through her companion.

"We've both seen how adverse they are to crossing cold water or even entering the water to catch fish or other animals," the girl stated, "perhaps that is their means of not only keeping themselves safe from the Darkseekers, but of providing the animals somewhere safe to live where they don't have to worry about the Darkseekers."

"They're definitely an odd pair," Kuro stated as the cat turned its attention back to the setting sun.

"Is it me or does that girl look like she has a beard?"

"I think you're starting to see things," the cat purred. "You've been alone much too long – why don't you go down and talk to them?"

Kanako blinked. She hadn't expected that response. _Maybe I am seeing things; I am after all talking to myself through Kuro_.

Reluctantly the girl leapt out of the ruined building she'd been hiding in.

*****

Looking over the footage that Mecha Tama (version 13) sent her Su eagerly sought a sign of the survivors of the Kuno Compound. From what little she'd seen both she and Dr. Tofu had concluded that someone, probably Ranma, had survived. The four markers – Happosai, Genma Saotome, Nodoka Saotome, and Ukyo Kuonji, had died in the chaotic episode, leaving Akane, her father, Ryoga, and Ranma as possible survivors. Though Dr. Tofu had considered listing Kuno, the sad look in the normally energetic blonde's eyes told him all he needed to know about the kendoka's fate. He had been thrown through the wall and electric fence head first. Even Kuno's hard skull couldn't absorb all that abuse.

"I'm sure that Ryoga survived," Dr. Tofu stated. "Only he's capable of creating such a large Shi Shi Hokodan."

"You're saying that that was a ki technique?" the resident martial artist asked. "That's preposterous – no one could have such a powerful ki."

Ignoring Motoko's remark the doctor examined the still photos of the ravaged compound. "The problem with him is that no one knows where he's going to show up. The boy's got the world's worse sense of direction. Apparently it runs in his family."

"I'm sure it's not that bad," Mutsumi said as she peeked over his shoulder.

"Ryoga would get lost going from the kitchen to the dining room," Dr. Tofu stated. "And he'll knock a few holes into the walls as well."

Su nodded. Though she hadn't really interacted with the one dubbed as 'the Eternal Lost Boy', she'd heard enough from Ranma to know that Ryoga really did have a bad sense of direction.

"What's that?" the auburn haired girl asked as she pointed to the monitor. Building was falling down.

"That's probably them," Dr. Tofu suggested. "Look at all the destroyed buildings."

The assembled girls gasped. Entire blocks had been leveled leaving gardens, trees, and the occasional telephone pole standing. Streets were flooded and animals freely ventured through the wide open spaces.

"We'll know where to start searching tomorrow," Dr. Tofu said as he pointed to the map. "If we're lucky we'll find them tomorrow."

*****

The setting sun brought with it many howls as the Darkseekers prepared for the night. A scant handful had already begun prowling the vacant streets only to find those same streets flooded with the terribly cold water. Howling in protest, they let the others know that this way was blocked.

An unfamiliar howl answered the two foraging Darkseekers. Sniffing out the new intruder the pair of males decided to investigate. Working in tandem the pair quickly found the lone Darkseekers. Letting out a primal roar the larger of the two males called out to the lone female. Pushing aside his companion he sniffed the female.

His companion growled in protest but simply stood back as the large male circled around the female. A sudden kick to the groin dropped the curious male.

A deep and threatening growl from the female stopped the other male in its tracks. Unwilling to cross the new female, he lead her towards the pack. The other male would be able to return on his own, once he recovered.

*****

Tsuruko watched as a new figure appeared by the makeshift moat. More curious than cautious, the new girl (and her cat) hiked up her skirt before wade across the meter deep moat.

_Perhaps I should introduce myself as well_, the swordswoman thought as she glanced at the retreating sun.

*****

The warm (hot actually) water feel so soothing now that he no longer had a hangover. Soaking in the makeshift hot tub in his true form, Ranma wondered just how other men dealt with facial hair. It had been annoying and bothersome to clean out (thank the Kami he hadn't eaten a lot of food as the few bits he'd found while still in his female form were absolutely putrid). Fortunately he lost the thick red beard once he'd transformed back into his true form, removing the issue of cleaning out his beard.

"Another beer?" Ryoga asked the bandana wearing boy climbed into the tub.

Ranma shook his head, letting his unbound hair loose, "I think I had more than enough for a while. I can't believe you didn't notice that I had a beard!"

Ryoga chuckled, "I was drunk, and I couldn't see straight. Not to mention all the dust!"

Suddenly the taller boy froze. Knowing Ryoga well enough, Ranma knew that something was wrong. Leaping out of the hot water and clearing the lip of the tub he gracefully landed on the dry grass.

A slim girl (with a cat!) stood frozen in the moat. Even though they were at least ten meters away it was clear that the color on her face was not because of the giant bonfire behind the boys. Instinctively they moved to cover themselves.

*****

Having given up on the idea that she could keep her skirt from getting wet Kanako slowly lowered it as she waded into the ever deepening water. With her hands over her head she held up Kuro, keeping the large eared cat out of the cold water. _At least the water's not too fast_, she thought as she took another step towards the small island.

With only a few more steps she was back in shallower water, though her wet clothes clung to her slim body. Even from nearly twenty meters away she could feel the warmth of the hot two story bonfire that not only warmed but also provided light for the two destroyers of the city.

It didn't surprise her that the bandana wearing boy had been completely naked. After all, he had spent much of the afternoon with a completely naked girl, and he was about to hop into the makeshift bathtub with her. What had surprised her was how big he was.

Locking eyes with him (because she didn't dare look further south) she froze as the boy's companion leapt out of the hot tub and onto the grass. _Wait… where did this boy come from?_ Catching sight of his dangling bits, she felt her face redden. _He's hung like a horse!_

"Who are you and what are you doing here?!" the second boy shouted, his eyes wide with terror.

"Kanako Urashima," she replied as she tore her eyes away from, well, down there. "I saw several buildings falling down from Tokyo Tower and decided to investigate."

Ryoga blinked. That sounded plausible enough. They had knocked down several prominent buildings in the area, and leveled more than a few city blocks as well.

Pulling a bandana out of stuff-space he held it over himself. Glancing at his companion and rival he noted the terror in Ranma's eyes. _Oh, the cat_…

"Um, could you put your cat behind you," Ryoga suggested, "or at least out of sight? The idiot here is afraid of cats."

"I am not!" Ranma said loudly, his false confidence evident as his voice wavered.

Obliging the odd request, Kanako set Kuro down, allowing the cat to perch itself on a broken wall off to the side.

With the cat out of Ranma's line of sight, the long haired boy relaxed visibly. Glancing at the slim girl and her black dress/skirt/outfit, he couldn't help but think that something was missing.

"Oh, I'm Ranma Saotome," the shorter of the two boys said as he mysteriously pulled some cloth out of nowhere to cover himself.

"Ryoga, Ryoga Hibiki," the taller boy added.

In the blink of an eye Ranma spun around, throwing several stones at the presence off to his left. The sound of the stones deflecting off of metal rang in the air.

"Ranma Saotome, of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts?" the new comer asked as she stepped onto the island. The large unusual bird on her shoulder explained how she had managed to cross the moat without getting wet.

Resorting to what he knew best, Ranma groaned, "Kami, don't tell me that pops engaged me to you?"

Tsuruko blinked, _That's an odd response_. "Then you are the Ranma Saotome, slayer of the Phoenix?"

The strange bird on her shoulder squawked.

"You're not from China, are you?" the bandana wearing boy asked.

Sheathing her blade, the swordswoman smirked. "No, I am Tsuruko Aoyama of the Shinmeiryuu."

Both young men blinked then glanced at each other.

"So you don't know her, right?" Ryoga asked for clarification.

"Um," Ranma replied, "I don't think so."

"Aoyama of the Shinmeiryuu?" the girl asked. "Your sister is Motoko Aoyama, resident at the Hinata Sou?"

"Yes," the tall woman replied, "Urashima, would you be related to Keitaro Urashima?"

"He's my brother," Kanako nodded. "It seems that the saying 'It's a small world' seems very fitting."

"Very," Tsuruko smiled.

"Um, could you two give us some privacy?" Ranma suggested.

"Achoo!" Kanako sneezed. "Do you have any dry clothes that I might be able to change into?"

"I like the view," the swordswoman smirked, "but if you insist."

*****

Letting out a roar the Alpha female, no, the Alpha of her pack listened for her pack as the sun finally set to the west. Hearing the responses from her pack members she let out a low primal growl. A new voice cried out in the distance issuing a challenge. Crying out she called the more experienced and powerful members of her pack back.

Scouting out the area she found a favorable spot. Not only would it provide the pack with a good spot to view the coming fight, it was familiar ground for her. Even after the chaos of the past few nights, meeting encountering two new packs and fighting for supremacy over the new, larger pack, the alpha was not going to let go of her hold over her pack.

It didn't take long for her pack to arrive. Looking at the disgruntled former leaders of the two smaller packs she sneered. The quick arrival of the one of the scouts and the new female brought a light howl from the handful of males around the circle. As the Alpha she knew that she had her pick of the litter if she so choose, but none of the males were good enough for her. She would submit to no one weaker than her. She had to have the best, and only the best could have her. Once she defeated the new arrival she would let the males fight over her, they needed something to do.

A monstrous cry from the challenger filled the clearing as the new female stood in the middle. Unlike many of the others this female was completely dressed rather than wearing tattered and ragged clothes. Alpha herself was wearing a tattered leotard, but this upstart wore a complete dougi marred only by a dark stain on the left shoulder.

Answering the cry, the Alpha leapt into the circle. Closing with her opponent she was floored by a powerful kick to her ribs. Startled she barely recovered as she rolled on the ground. Standing back up she barely pulled up her defenses as her opponent pummeled her, knocking her back down to the ground.

The challenger was merciless, stopping only when the others in her new pack howled in rage and protest, conceding on behalf of their former pack leader. Letting out a triumphant roar the new Alpha kicked her fallen opponent, leaving her defenseless as the assembled males fought over her.

*****

It was weird for the socially inept martial artist - sitting with two attractive women was hard for the young man. Not knowing what to expect from either, yet supposedly having no expectations to meet either was odd. His limited experience with women was rarely good (though that was a relative term) as most ended with him having to run for his life after some odd martial arts challenge (in which he would end up the victor of course).

Sensing the boys' unease, Tsuruko smiled. She hadn't expected the slayer of the Phoenix King to be so timid. As much as she wanted to talk martial arts with the two young men, she knew that the direct approach wouldn't be the right one given their circumstances.

"So Urashima-san, I assume that you've practiced the Urashima style?" the swordswoman asked.

For her part the slender girl nodded. Though she was still getting used to her strange outfit (made from the near countless bandana's that the boy known as Ryoga Hibiki had stashed somewhere).

Looking at the older woman she offered a gentle bow. From what little information she had of the Aoyama she had expected the swordswoman to know about her adopted family's secretive style. "Of course, both my brother and I were taught it, though I don't know if he still practices it."

"Have you ever heard of that style?" Ryoga whispered.

Gently shaking his head Ranma remained silent.

"You look like a capable fighter Hibiki-kun," Tsuruko added, "are you a martial artist as well?"

Bowing his head the fanged boy chuckled, "Yeah, how did you know?"

"Even without proper lighting I can tell that your muscles are strong and you move like a practiced fighter," Tsuruko stated as she eyed the taller of the two boys. "Though you're not as coordinated as Ranma, I can tell that you're the more physical and stronger fighter."

Chest swelling, Ryoga grinned stupidly as a rare feeling of pride ran through him.

"Ah, he's nothing special," Ranma interjected. Feeling a bit left out, and wanting to put Ryoga in his place as second best, the raven haired boy leaned back against the remains of a wall.

"Why would you say that?" Kanako asked as she glanced at the pair.

"Sure, Ryoga's stronger, and tougher, but he has no style or technique," the raven haired fighter stated as he counted off his rival's weaknesses. "He leaves too many openings and is easily provoked. That and the fact that he's never beaten me straight up and had to rely on teaming up with others to even have a chance at beating me – which he never has done."

"Ranma!" Ryoga growled.

"But I have to say, I'm glad he's my rival," Ranma stated as he casually brushed of his rival's obvious discomfort. "Even though I could probably last out here on my own, I'm glad that he's with me. I wouldn't want anyone else watching my back."

"Ranma," Ryoga said clearly floored by the light complements his rival was giving him. This was as close as Ranma got to actually praising him for his strengths.

"If he wasn't my rival I doubt that I'd have been pushed as hard and I probably wouldn't have been able to beat Herb or Saffron, and that's not including the help that he (and Mousse) provided during those incidents."

Tsuruko nodded. "I must say, you're not completely like I had imagined you to be."

Ryoga snickered as Ranma fell over.

"I had heard that you were an egotistical, womanizing, upstart martial artist," the swordswoman smiled. "You definitely have a large and healthy ego Saotome-kun, but it seems that you're not as bad as the stories have made you out to be. You're far from being a womanizer – in fact I'd say that you're very shy and timid, but that's to be expected from martial artists who are lone students."

A series of distant roars filled the air, reminding the group of the ever present threat of the Darkseekers.

"We should probably get some rest," Ranma said as he popped up to his feet. "I'll take the first watch; Ryoga, I'll wake you up when it's your turn."

"It might be best if we pair up for the watch," Tsuruko suggested. "That way we can help keep each other awake."

"But we… we couldn't let you do that," Ryoga stammered.

"We're all martial artists," Kanako said defensively.

Patting Ryoga's shoulder Ranma shook his head, silencing any further protests from his rival.

"Why don't I take the first shift with you," Tsuruko said with a smile. "I could use a good, refreshing bath and I doubt that I'll be able to sleep after a nice soak."

*****

The dougi wearing Darkseeker was not particularly hungry. Though she had spent the past two days in the sewer she had feasted well. Feasting on a pathetic long haired meal, she had been able to devour it all herself. She didn't eve have to bother with the monstrosity that had bitten her as it had suffered a fatal blow prior to the fall.

No, hunger was not her issue; it was her pack's issue. They needed to feed, and as their leader it fell on her to lead them as they hunted.

Hearing the howl of a distant and still unintroduced pack mate, she led the pack towards its howl. Far stronger and faster then the rest of her pack, the new Alpha leapt over an abandoned car. Landing in the empty street she heard a distinct twang. Instinctively she leapt out of the way as an arrow hit the dirt behind where she had been standing.

A feral grin formed on her lips as she let out a howl. Leaping back behind a broken wall she heard another twang and then the sound of the arrow burying itself in the wall. Sniffing the air she howled again. The pack would feast to night!

The unknown male cautiously approached her, only for her to snarl a warning. Head bowed, he backed off just far enough so that he was not invading her personal space, though close enough that they both could sniff at each other.

Slowly the rest of the pack arrived, each one howling as they introduced themselves to their new pack leader. Each time the previous scene repeated itself.

Twenty strong, the pack circled the building as they sought a way inside.

Spotting a potential weakness in their defenses, the dougi wearing alpha leapt onto the cool stone-like surface and pulled herself up. Only the strongest and most agile of her pack followed as the others drew their preys' eyes and attention. Digging her nails into the weak fake stone, she pulled herself up the wall until she reached the roof.

Something about the purple haired girl made her howl in rage, giving away her presence.

"Aya!" the girl shouted as she cast aside her bow and arrow as she took up her twin swords.

A mighty leap brought the dougi wearing Darkseeker inside the startled girl's reach. A powerful swipe barely missed the naked girl. Instinctively the Alpha leapt back, narrowly avoiding being decapitated by the girl's blades.

"Shampoo!" the girl's companion shouted as he unleashed a hail of painfully sharp metal objects at the handful of Darkseekers.

The be-speckled but otherwise naked boy somehow produced more weapons, pinning two of the Darkseekers with nets and chains as he lashed out blindly. With the pair of fighters focused on close combat the rest of the pack slowly climbed up the side of the building.

Lunging in and out the alpha toyed with her prey. Though the sword wielding girl had the advantage in range, it was clear that she did not have the strength and stamina to fend off so many enemies. Isolated from each other the two naked youths fought valiantly.

Keeping their advantage the Darkseekers refused to let the two reunite. Hounding them relentlessly they kept a handful of the pack back to rest while the others tested the pair's individual defenses. Taking her own break, the Alpha grew impatient. Spotting several discarded weapons from the naked boy, she grinned. Grabbing a chain she wrapped it around her left forearm.

Letting out a growl, she waited for those hounding the girl to slowly back off. Stepping forward she kicked one of the reluctant members of her pack off the roof as she glared at the purple haired girl. Rushing in she waited for her prey to lash out with the twin blades. Deftly she countered the girl's counter as she let loose with the weighted chain. Catching her startled prey completely unaware, the alpha knocked the girl off balance as the heavy chain connected with the girl's knee. The sickening sound of ligaments and muscle ripping as the joint bent in an unnatural caused the girl to scream out in pain.

Rushing in the dougi wearing female wrapped her right hand around the girl's left wrist before ramming her hand into and through the girl's ribcage. With a triumphant roar she ripped out the girl's still beating heart. Deftly she grabbed a handhold of the girl's purple hair and brought it within centimeters of her own face as she devoured the girl's heart before her shocked eyes.

"Shampoo!" the naked boy shouted as he beheaded several Darkseekers. Enraged by the sight of his life-long love's brutal death the master of hidden weapons valiantly fought against the odds. Even his great skill and numerous weapons weren't enough to get him any closer as the overwhelming number of Darkseekers kept him at bay.

Eviscerating a female Darkseeker Mousse realized his error as he failed to pull the blade out of the creature's stomach. Exposed for just a second he felt a powerful blow connect with his ribs. Startled he lost his grip on the sword as the blow carried him off his feet. Spinning, he hit his attacker with a knee to the face. Freed of his attacker the extremely near-sighted martial artist crashed into a bucket, inadvertently triggering his curse.

Knowing that he could barely fend off the powerful creatures in his true form, Mousse knew that he would fare much worse in his cursed form. Praying for forgiveness, the nearly blind duck jumped over the edge and took to the air.

*****

The gentle night's breeze carried the horrific screams and hungry howls to Ranma's keen ears. Though he could faintly hear them he knew it was too far away for him to do anything about it. Balling his hands into fists he turned his face so that the light wind blew straight into it.

"You hear it too, don't you?" Tsuruko asked as she stood up in the makeshift bath.

The raven haired boy nodded. Even with his back to her a slight shiver went down his spine. He was certain that it was the swordswoman and not the screams that made him tremble. Either that or it was that damned c..c-feline.

A roar not too far behind them answered the screams, probably one of the big cats that they had freed from the zoo.

But it was the sound of water being disturbed as the sleek and slender martial artist exited the bath that really bothered the younger martial artist. Despite her calm and formal demeanor Ranma knew that she was a predator. He could only hope that he wasn't her prey.

"I find it interesting that you and Hibiki-kun went out of your way just to create this small sanctuary for those zoo animals," the elegant woman stated as gently toweled herself off. "Why go to the trouble?"

"It's not that much trouble," Ranma answered with a shrug. "But probably because we were drunk."

A pregnant silence filled the air as only the crackling fire filled the night air.

Glancing over at the sleeping Ryoga and Kanako (who happened to be sleeping in his bed roll) as they lay in the shadows, Ranma cracked his wrist and knuckles.

"I've been meaning to ask you Saotome-kun," the elegant swordswoman said, breaking the silence. "What happened to the red haired girl?"

Repressing a twitch, the young martial artist shrugged as he looked away from Tsuruko.

"The last I saw of her she had entered the bath bearing a black piglet," the tall woman said. "But when I arrived there was only you and Hibiki-kun. I thought she might be hiding in the bath, but she wasn't there."

Not in the mood to explain himself or demonstrate his curse multiple times, Ranma cut her off, "I'll tell you in the morning; that way I won't have to explain things to both of you separately."

*****

A/N

And the cast grows smaller…. Sigh…

Hope you liked the chapter. Please, please, Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Notes –

I've decided to stop putting up my usual disclaimer. After eleven chapters I would hope that everyone who reads this fic knows that I don't own the rights to the various works that I am borrowing characters, ideas, and concepts from.

*****

Mousse was tired. After spending so many days carrying his beloved Shampoo to Japan the pair had finally made it back to Nerima. Their (mostly Shampoo's) happiness was short lived though as the Tendo family residence had been leveled. In truth, not much was left of Nerima as much of the neighborhood and the school had been leveled. Only the occasional tree or garden remained, and those were now inhabited by formerly captive animals.

The rooftops had failed to keep them safe. Had he known that there were that many he would have suggested somewhere else, somewhere more secure… But he hadn't known, and Shampoo had insisted that they take the high ground so that they could keep looking for any sign of Ranma.

Spotting some light the boy turned duck beat his tired wings as he shifted his course. Fire would keep the feral animals away. It would be warmth and safety for at least a few more hours, possibly even a way for him to change back.

Exhausted, Mousse headed towards the light.

*****

Pacing across the clearing, Ryoga was glad that they'd created the small islands. Not only did the small, enclosed islands keep them safe from the Darkseekers, it kept him from getting lost (as long as he didn't cross the water). Though it kept him from wandering off, it also kept him from wandering off.

"I don't bite," Kanako stated as she casually stroked Kuro's fine black coat, teasing the apparently naïve boy.

"I… I'm just… thought I heard something over here," the fanged boy said as he failed to pretend that he was looking at the sleeping deer on the neighboring island.

Kanako smiled, _He really does suck at lying_. "So what happened? Why are the two of you out here instead of in some fortified bunker or compound? Both of you look like you can handle yourselves against Darkseekers, but even the best martial artists would wear out after a while."

The bandana wearing boy shrugged. "We were in a compound," he finally replied. "There were fourteen of us, but we couldn't set aside our egos and rivalries."

"All of you were martial artists?"

"Most of us, but not everyone; Ranma's the best," Ryoga growled out, "and it was his idea."

"How many got sick?"

"Only four of us, but three of them turned."

Kanako nodded, "That's pretty good odds then."

A bandana bound head bobbed up and down, "We dug a pit and threw them down it, kept it fenced off until one of the morons refused to throw his sister in. A fight broke out, and his ninja butler ended up getting knocked into the pit.

"Those who turned called out at night, bringing more Darkseekers. But the neighbor's compounds weren't as fortified so they fell first. After about a month none of the other compounds were left. Then they focused on us. A few got in, but we managed to subdue them without any injuries. Ranma and I leveled the area around the compound; that's when we realized how much they hate the water. After that we dug a moat around the compound and it worked."

"So what happened?"

Finding a level and reasonably comfortable looking boulder/chunk of wall, Ryoga sat down beside Kanako. "Ranma found another survivor, Su something. She had a good sized mecha and was trapped but he helped her out of the jam. The fought off two dozen Darkseekers all night then came back to the compound."

"Wait, what?" the raven haired girl exclaimed.

"I told you; Ranma's the best. He held his own against nearly two dozen Darkseekers. Akane and the others thought that he was lost, but I knew better. Ranma wouldn't let some measly Darkseekers beat him.

"But bringing that girl back stretched our resources. With Ranma focused on helping her repair her mecha so that she could return to some Hinata something or other, he spread himself thin. Even he has limits, and Kuno, one of Ranma's rivals for Akane, Ranma's fiancée, tried to take advantage of it.

"We self imploded. Fought among ourselves and forgot about the Darkseekers. Now only Ranma and I are left."

Sighing, Ryoga looked up into the dark night's sky.

Some distant movement and a flicker of reflected light caught his eye. Standing up he focused his senses as he assumed the worst.

"Oh, a duck!" Kanako exclaimed as she pointed at the white form slowly descending upon them.

Ryoga's eyes bulged as he recognized the duck. "Mousse?!"

Slowly the boy turned duck flapped his tired wings. Only the sound of his tiny heart pounding in his chest filled his ears as the cursed boy fought to maintain consciousness.

"Get Ranma!" Ryoga said urgently as he ran towards the edge of the island.

Rushing over to the slumbering boy Kanako tried to grab his shoulders, only to have him roll out and away from her. "Ranma!" she cried out, waking Tsuruko as a result.

"Here," the surprisingly alert swordswoman said, offering a cup of water.

Taking the cup Kanako splashed Ranma with it.

"AAHH!!!"

*****

The sounds of horrific howls of pain filled Su's dreams, keeping her awake despite the late hour and the many long hours she had already spent awake. Drinking down another cup of hot green tea (the others wouldn't let her drink coffee) the young blond felt a slight rush as the additional caffeine tried to invigorate the exhausted girl.

"How are things going?" Dr. Tofu's now familiar voice asked as the be-speckled man emerged from the darkness.

"Good," Su said, forcing herself to sound energetic and awake. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary Su turned her attention back to the multiple screens. "I can't believe how many weapons the Kuno family had amassed. Anti-tank guns, surface to air missiles, prototype rail guns, Vulcan cannons, Gatling guns, armor piercing rounds, hollow points; even a mazor gun*."

"Yes, they did manage to amass a good deal of weapons," Dr. Tofu replied, "but as you saw there wasn't enough food for all of us."

Su nodded as she fought the urge to yawn. Suddenly she felt something poke her neck and shoulder. Unable to utter any protest the young girl drifted into an unwanted but much needed slumber.

*****

Tsuruko grinned. It'd been a long time since she'd felt like laughing so hard, but given the situation the expert swordswoman knew that laughing wouldn't help the situation. Before her stood three of the greatest martial artists (according to them) of their generation, and each one of them was cursed. True, it sounded worse then it was as Ranma turned into a girl - a bearded girl… snicker; Ryoga turned into acute, adorable little black piglet; and the male Amazon Mousse turned into a duck (not as cute, but still funny). If not for the gravity of their current situation - the death of everyone at the Kuno Compound, the destruction of the Chinese Amazon villages, of which only Mousse seemed to survive – Tsuruko would have laughed. As it was she was barely surprising a smile, well, it was a grin, but at least she was able to hide it from the three young men before her. It also didn't help that they were virtually naked when they turned back – except for Ranma who was at least able to keep his/her clothes when he/she transformed.

Having listened to the three boy's tales of their horrific experiences and their long history with each other (which was way to hard to follow much less understand – how could one boy be engaged to at least three active fiancées?) Tsuruko wondered if perhaps she wasn't instead reading from one of her sister's poorly written romance novels.

"So let me get this straight," Kanako, via her knack for ventriloquism and her pet cat Kuro, said, her mouth completely unreadable, "Ranma was engaged to the love of your life" the cat glanced at Mousse "because he was in his girl form and defeated the village champion, but when she found out that Ranma was actually a guy she wanted to marry him instead."

Ranma nodded as Mousse simply glowered.

"But she kissed you when you were a girl?" Kuro asked for clarification.

Again the pigtailed boy nodded. "And when I beat her as a guy as well," he added as he continued to keep his eyes closed. Looking at a cat, much less supposedly talking to one was really creepy and weird.

"And Ryoga went to junior high with you," the cat stated, "where the two of you fought over the last bread rolls at school. But then Ranma left for a training voyage and you ended up following him, right?"

Ryoga nodded.

"So how'd you manage to follow him if your sense of direction was so bad?" Kanako finally asked.

Ryoga simply shrugged. That was one mystery (of many) that he didn't know the answer to.

"But when you both came back to Japan the two of you fought and Ryoga lost," Kuro said, cutting off the slim girl holding the cat. "But you, Ryoga, decided that you liked Ranma's first fiancée, Ukyo…"

"Ranma's first fiancée was Akane," Mousse corrected as he finished drying his hair.

"Right, Akane… "She's_ the violent girl that went psycho and killed virtually everyone_. _And where the hell did Mousse pull out that towel and outfit?_

"Um," Ranma said as Mousse finished his new outfit, "why don't some of us get some sleep? It's going to be a long day today and I'm sure that Mousse is exhausted from everything. You two can keep talking if you want since you're both still on watch."

*****

The day passed without incident, well, not exactly. For Ranma, Ryoga, and Mousse the day was almost typical as Ranma's offhanded comments occasionally resulting in either Ryoga or Mousse (more of the latter than the former actually) to take some kind of swipe at the arrogant pigtailed boy. By the noon of that day Tsuruko understood why she'd heard so many complaints about Nerima's martial artists all the way in Kyoto.

"Find anything?" Ryoga asked as Ranma and Mousse emerged from a ruined building.

Ranma shook his head grimly as Mousse threw up.

"How bad was it?" Tsuruko asked.

"Freshly killed last night," Ranma stated, his face slightly blanched as he recalled the blood splattered all over the walls. "Family of five, but it looks like the child turned. Looks like they kept it locked up in a fortified room. Kid must have gotten out or attracted more Darkseekers because there were multiple entry points."

"Anything of use to us?" the swordswoman asked coolly.

Again Ranma shook his head. "If the Darkseekers hadn't gotten them they probably would have starved in a day or two. All that they had left were a few cans of outdated vegetables."

"That's the third safe house we've come across today," Mousse stated as he wiped his mouth clean, "and we haven't found any signs of anyone."

"The virus only turned 1% of the population," Ranma stated, "the rest of the infected died; only 10% of the population was immune to the airborne strain, leaving 1.2 million survivors of airborne virus and one hundred twenty thousand Darkseekers."

Ryoga screwed his face as he tried to calculate the numbers.

"For 1.2 million survivors we haven't managed to find anyone but each other," Mousse spat out, "I really wonder about your math and the figures you're quoting."

"I'm just going off of what Dr. Tofu told me," Ranma stated. "But you also have to figure that the Darkseekers have spent the last three months hunting down the remaining survivors. Not everyone was as fortified as we were at Kuno's place, and each night several compounds fell until only we were left last week."

"So what had once been a 10:1 ratio of humans to Darkseekers slowly reversed so that it's now the other way at best," Kanako concluded.

Ranma shrugged, "Maybe, but I don't know for sure. I don't know that anyone expected that things would get this bad this fast. Even with Kuno's family helping we didn't have enough food to last more then two months. We got lucky in that we were able to outlast other compounds and could raid them for food once they fell. We only lasted that long because we're high caliber fighters who are stronger, faster, and tougher then your typical person; how do you think normal people are going to survive?"

Mousse nodded. "The Amazons fell pretty quickly too. Most of them had never been vaccinated ever so the disease hit us hard," the long haired boy admitted. "Most of the elders died right away, but some of the younger elders turned. With the bulk of our experienced fighters dead or turned and a good portion of the younger fighters dead as well, it didn't take long for the hundreds of Darkseekers to overwhelm us. If not for our curses Shampoo and I wouldn't have made it as long as we did."

"So what do we do?" Ryoga asked.

"We know that cold, even cool water keeps them at bay," Ranma stated, "so our best bet might be to find an island or castle with a large moat to fortify. With enough space we could grow our own vegetables and perhaps even raise animals for food."

"Most animals are immune to the airborne strain of the virus," Kanako added. "We'd just have to make sure that we're not eating anything contaminated and keep them away from us just in case.

"The Hinata Sou would be idea in that it's isolated on a small island with a river running around it, and it's also on the top of the hill giving us a good view of the entire island. We'd just have to take out the four bridges and the train tracks."

Ryoga and Mousse both nodded.

"Hey, wasn't Su from some Hinata Sou complex too?" Ranma asked his directionless companion.

_It really is a small world after all_, Tsuruko thought with a slight grin.

*****

"I can't believe that you put her to sleep!" Motoko shouted as she cradled the sobbing Su in her arms.

"There's no way that you just put her to sleep," Naru shouted as she glared at the be-speckled doctor. "What the hell did you do to her?!"

Standing firmly between the two angry girls and Dr. Tofu, Mutsumi hoped that neither girl would resort to their more violent tendencies. "Please, just let him explain himself." Glancing at the two the brunette recalled all of Keitaro's stories of them sending him into low earth orbit, sometimes even knocking him down into the city.

"I simply touched a few pressure points so that she'd fall asleep," Dr. Tofu said as he sat in his chair. Undaunted by the two angry girls the doctor held firm. Having seen Ranma endure many beatings at the hands of his multiple fiancées and rivals, the good doctor had never actually had anyone mad at him. This was definitely a first. "If you hadn't noticed, Su's been pushing herself everyday and not sleeping despite all that she's been doing. It's not healthy for her or anyone to work that hard and not sleep."

"If she were only asleep then why was she crying?!" Motoko shouted back as she reached for her sword.

"You did something else to here didn't you, you pervert!" Naru added as she pulled up the sleeve on her right arm. Only Mutsumi's bodily intervention prevented the auburn haired girl from going any further as the busty girl stood before the two younger girls.

"Stop it!" the matronly young woman said sternly. "It's not his fault. Su's been under a lot of stress since she came back from Nerima and you know it. She's been trying to act like everything's alright, but you know that she couldn't possibly be alright. Knowing that she killed a man, that she had been the cause of the accident – how would you deal with it? As strong as he may have appeared to be, he obviously wasn't as durable as Kei-kun. Would you be able to handle knowing that you were responsible for his death when you were her age?"

Naru and Motoko's anger faded slightly. Though they were still upset, they knew that they couldn't blame the doctor for his actions.

_If only I hadn't let her leave_, Motoko thought as she stroked the blonde's head.

"I… I'm alright," Su muttered. "I just had a bad dream." Wiping her red eyes the small girl took a deep breath.

"Su…" Naru said soothingly, as she tried to comfort the youngest of the survivors.

"I'm sorry I made you fall asleep against your will," Dr. Tofu said as he pushed his glasses closer to his face, "but you were wearing yourself out like that. Besides, I'm sure that Ranma wouldn't have been happy with me if he knew you'd stressed out over him."

Forcing a smile, Su nodded.

"No more forcing a smile," Mutsumi said, relieved that the tensions had been eased. "Oh my, it looks like they're here right on time."

A red light flashed signaling the unexpected arrival and forced entry as a small group of martial artists deftly and nimbly infiltrated the compound, avoiding the many traps and circumventing the fortifications that Su had installed throughout the property.

"Ranma! Ryoga!" Su exclaimed.

"Sister!?" Motoko's eyes bulged a she spotted her sister's distinctive form.

"Mousse?" Dr. Tofu muttered, clearly surprised by the Amazon's presence.

"Su, can you"

"Turning off automated defenses along the main entrance," the energetic blond stated as she overrode the system. Not wanting to accidentally injure anyone or to have them destroy the fortifications, she turned off the automated defenses and traps.

"They can use the hidden entrance behind the Hinata Tea house," Mutsumi suggested, "that's the one that I used to get up to the second floor."

With a nod Su hit several buttons causing several lights to appear on the path, stopping the group as it warned of the stronger fortifications up ahead. "I'm sending Mecha Tama (version 12) instead. It's almost sunset and I don't want to shut down our defenses or leave a scent trail for the Darkseekers to try and follow."

Everyone watched as the large metal mecha descended upon the group of martial artists, hovering just off the ground so that the five survivors could climb on top of it. With all of them aboard it gently (for Su) took off.

Opening the roof to her apartment/room, Su guided Mecha Tama (version 12) and the five martial artists into the room behind her. Even before the whine of the engines died down Su was out of her chair rushing to hug the two survivors of the Kuno Compound.

"Ranma! Ryoga!" she shouted, "I thought… I thought you were dead!" the normally energetic blond cried softly. "I thought it was my fault."

A sense of panic and dread ran through Ranma's mind and body as the sight of a girl crying and hugging him sent odd signals through the easy going martial artist. "It's alright," he said, not sure what else to say. "It's not your fault. If anything, it was my fault. I should have known… we just couldn't go without fighting for too long…"

Neither Mousse nor Ryoga said anything. It was an odd sight, seeing Ranma being humble and honestly sincere about his shortcomings. But having endured all that they had, both knew that they couldn't have done any better had they been in his shoes.

"Sister," Motoko said with a polite bow. The feel of her sister's strong arms wrapped around her startled the usually prim and proper younger swordswoman. Comforted by her sister's rare display of affection, the younger Aoyama daughter returned her sibling's hug and affection. Unspoken words were conveyed as they embraced – the fall of the Shinmeiryuu, the death of her sister's husband, and so much more. Overcome by their losses the two swordswomen cried softly.

"Ranma," Dr. Tofu said as he patted the young martial artist's shoulder.

"Kasumi?" the pigtailed boy asked.

Seeing the slight shift in the doctor's stance Ranma had his answer. "I'm sorry," he whispered, a slight trembling in his weak voice. "I failed..."

Mousse watched the somber reunion with mixed emotions. Had Shampoo been alive the nearsighted martial artist would have tried to seize the opportunity and take advantage of Ranma's emotional weakness. It was one thing to see Ryoga depressed, actually, it was fairly common to see Ryoga depressed, but Ranma was supposed to be the unshakable one that always bounced back from his few defeats and took on any challenge willingly.

_Then again, Ranma did see most of the others die_, the long haired martial artist thought.

Sighing internally, Mousse walked over to Ranma. He didn't know why, or what he was doing, but the master of hidden weapons put his hand on Ranma's shoulder.

Apparently Ryoga had the same idea as the other martial artist gripped Ranma's other shoulder.

"Quit crying like a girl!" both rivals shouted as they clocked the emotionally weakened boy with twin uppercuts. Though their punches were not ki strengthened, the combined blows were enough to send Ranma flying.

The physical pain jolted Ranma out of his emotional rut. Pulling himself off the floor he glared at his former rivals. "Who you calling a girl?!" he shouted as he cracked his knuckles.

Behind the Ryoga and Mousse, Tsuruko began to laugh. Motoko wasn't sure how to take the remark as she held onto her laughing sister. Kanako, having spent the day with the trio, simply shrugged.

"Oh, so only girls cry and are weak?!" Naru shouted in defense of the female gender.

Before the now angered auburn haired girl could even move the trio of boys were suddenly brawling.

Grabbing a bucket of water, Dr. Tofu splashed the three rumbling boys, promptly stopping the fight.

Tsuruko clutched her stomach as she laughed even harder. Beside her, Motoko simply gaped at the sight of a bearded redheaded girl (?), a black piglet, and a duck wearing glasses glared at each other. She wasn't sure if she was stunned by the rare display from her sister or the odd sight of the fighters from Nerima.

"I must be dreaming," Naru muttered as she tried to make sense of the scene before her. "I've gone insane. The pressure must have finally gotten to me. I must have cracked from the pressure of one of my exams… This is all a terrible dream."

*****

The warmth of the Hinata Sou's hot springs soothed his tired and aching muscles. Leaning against the warm rocks Mousse sighed contently. "This is the best way to change back," he stated as he set his glasses aside.

"This beats that smelly dumpster," Ryoga stated as he lowered himself into the hot water so that only his head remained in view.

"Thanks you guys," Ranma said as he rubbed his now bare chin and jaw, checking to see that his temporary beard had truly disappeared. "I needed that."

"Hey, I'd be happy to hit you anytime you need it," Ryoga stated.

"And you need it most of the time," Mousse chimed in.

*****

"You what?!" Motoko shouted as she glared at her sister.

"I think that you would be well suited with him as your husband," Tsuruko repeated. "Aside from his curse, he is an exceptional martial artist, perhaps the greatest of our generation."

"But…"

"In truth, I had wanted to arrange a marriage between the two of you before," the elder Aoyama daughter admitted, "but he had many… contractual obligations which eliminated his eligibility as a suitable husband for you."

Motoko simply blinked.

"And I understand that the current situation is very dire for not only us but all of humanity," Tsuruko added. "As such, I can think of no better young man for you to have as the father of your future children. But if you want to feel like you have a choice, you can always choose between Ranma and his two friends. Each of them is an accomplished martial artist and would be more than suitable as a husband for the heir of the Shinmeiryuu."

The younger swordswoman blanched. "How"

"can I think about this?" Tsuruko finished. "Simple, I'm thinking of our school and about the future of humanity. And there is no future if there are no children."

"But"

"my husband has been dead for only six days," the elder Aoyama stated. "I will mourn his passing, but work towards the future. To do that I may have to set my emotions aside once I finish mourning for my late husband. But Dr. Tofu does appear to be a suitable man himself. Though I may have to contend with the Otohime girl…."

Motoko blinked. This went against all she knew. Then again, the world had turned upside down in the past year since the virus had basically destroyed the world.

"If you don't hurry you may have to contend with Narusagawa, Urashima, and your young friend Su," Tsuruko sighed. "There are three of you and three of them; well, there are four of them and five of us…"

*****

A/N

I think I'll just leave things where they're at for now.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	13. Chapter 13

Author's Notes –

I've decided to stop putting up my usual disclaimer. After eleven chapters I would hope that everyone who reads this fic knows that I don't own the rights to the various works that I am borrowing characters, ideas, and concepts from.

No, Hinata isn't an island, but the main way into the city/ward is through the large bridge or the train station. Ranma and company will have to dig a trench to complete the island.

While Akane only grew cat whiskers under a full dose of the soba, Ranma's beard under a half would seem to be over-doing it, but consider that the super strength soba side effects vary by person. Also consider that after a day of having super strength Akane finally grew whiskers, Ranma's had the half dose far longer, but that side effect didn't show up until he transformed into girl form. With both Ranma and Ryoga drunk for most of the day they didn't realize that Ranma was growing a beard until after they cleaned up and sobered up. I'm sure that if Akane had not taken the antidote she would have grown a solid mustache sooner or later.

*****

The hot soothing water felt good after a long day of hard labor. Resting his aching muscles Ranma slipped into the hot spring, letting the water envelop his entire body except his head. Looking up at the fenced off roof that was supposed to keep infected birds (did birds get infected by the virus?) and any possible Darkseekers from entering the open air bath, Ranma cracked his neck and shoulders.

"Who was it that said that Hinata was an island?" he asked his companions.

"I think it was Kanako," the bandana wearing tank that was Ryoga replied as he stepped into the hot water. "Man this feels good."

"Technically it is an island," Mousse said as he set his glasses down on a rock. "Just not as small as we expected."

"Yeah, if you consider that three meter wide stream to be a river," the pigtailed boy stated as he untied his pigtail.

"It'd go a lot easier if Hibiki was using his Shi Shi Hokoden," Mousse stated as he leaned back against the warm rock.

"Guess not being a virgin anymore affects his disposition," Ranma joked.

The long haired master of hidden weapons blinked. "When did that happen? What pig did Akari breed you with?"

"Ranma!" Ryoga shouted instinctively. Pausing as he realized his error he charged at Mousse. "I'm going to kill you Mousse!"

Shaking his head, Ranma tripped his friendly rival, "I thought I told you, that his sleeping with Akane was what brought down the Kuno compound."

"I know," Mousse said as Ryoga emerged from the water.

Leaping out of the water Ryoga tackled Mousse.

Distracted by his rivals' mock fighting, Ranma failed to hear the door opening behind him. Only Dr. Tofu, who was washing his hair, noticed as he discretely moved to cover himself with his towel.

"It looks like you all have plenty of energy left," Tsuruko said as she stepped out into the open air bath.

All three young men suddenly scrambled – Ranma for the edge of the bath and Ryoga and Mousse into deeper water – to hide their nakedness from the expert swordswoman. It didn't help that she brought her sword with her.

"Ts-Tsuruko, what are you doing here?" Ranma asked, slightly flustered by her sudden appearance.

"Didn't the doctor tell you?" she shot back coyly. "To conserve our resources it's been decided that the bath should be co-ed."

As if to accentuate the point Kanako, Motoko, and Mutsumi filed out of the changing room; each wearing a tightly wrapped towel that hung to their curves.

Subconsciously the three young men moved to the far side of the pool/bath, distinctly trying not to steal glances at the scantily clad females.

"I figured you'd say that you've already seen a naked girl plenty of times," Ryoga hissed as he spotted some side-boob as Tsuruko washed Motoko's hair.

"Well, yeah, but this is different," Ranma said in his defense.

"Hey, both of you aren't virgins anymore, so you've both obviously been around naked girls," Mousse hissed, glad for once that he was extremely nearsighted.

"Just act natural," Dr. Tofu advised as the older male sat at the edge of the pool, his towel strategically draped over his lap. Then considering who he was talking to, the doctor smiled, "Think of it as martial arts bathing – don't let them see you while you try not to see them, all while trying to take your bath."

"I can't believe that we're forced to share the bath with them," Mutsumi grumbled as she turned her back to the three boys and the doctor.

"But we need to conserve our resources," Kanako countered she pinned her long hair. "The adults all agreed that it was necessary for us to do this."

"If you look at it rationally, we should do whatever it takes to ensure that humanity has a future," Mutsumi stated. "It will be hard for us all to just… procreate without some emotional attachments with whomever. I think that this small step would help us at least get to know them better."

"'Them'? I don't even know her," Motoko said as she glanced at Kanako. "All I know of them is what she's told me."

"That's not entirely true," Mutsumi countered, "your own sister has traveled with them, if only for a day, and Su knew Ranma and Ryoga while she was with them."

"But she didn't even know that they – that they're cursed!" Motoko exclaimed. Clearly the boys had heard her as they each sunk deeper into the water across the pool/bath.

"If everyone reacted the way you and Narusagawa did then I'm sure they have good reason to avoid telling others about their… unique conditions," Kanako replied as she crouched down to test the water.

The three young women entered the pool as one with only Motoko turning her back to the assembled men.

"So Kanako," Mutsumi said, breaking the awkward silence, "you've known the three of them far longer than any of us except Tsuruko, what do you think of them?"

Letting her go of her now soaking wet towel Kanako wrung it out before setting it on the rocks, "Well, aside from turning into a bearded girl Ranma hates cats"

"They're evil!" Ranma shouted from across the way.

"Don't ask me why, but he just hates the 'c-word' as he calls them," Kanako finished. "But other than being an egotistical martial artist, he's not too bad. He is sweet, though he loves to taunt the others.

"Ryoga's sweet, though very naïve, which is very cute. Plus he's cute when he's, what did you call him Ranma?"

"P-chan!" the pigtailed boy called out from the other side of the bath.

"Ranma!" shouted the boy who turned into a pig. Water flew everywhere as Ryoga tried to tackle Ranma. Even though they were sitting chest deep in the hot water Ranma managed to evade the noticeably slower Ryoga.

"Yes, P-chan, that's it," Kanako teased.

"P-chan?" Motoko repeated.

"P for pig," Ranma explained as he threw Ryoga into the deeper water.

"Mousse, well, he's cute too," the slim cat loving girl stated. Across the way Mousse blushed.

"You do know that they can hear us, right?" Motoko said, cutting the other girl off.

"Which means they heard what Otohime-san had to say about procreation," Tsuruko smirked. Seeing the reddish hue that everyone save Dr. Tofu and herself, the swordswoman sighed. "Oh, to be so young - times were so different for us."

"You're only a few years older than me!" Motoko shouted, standing up as she did so. The wet towel clung to her shapely curves. The fact that everyone was looking at her, the younger Aoyama quickly sat back down.

Tsuruko laughed as she entered the water. "So naïve…"

"Is it just me or does it feel like we're part of the meat market?" Ryoga asked as he stole glances at the distinctive shadows that appeared on the sliding door to the changing room.

"You're only now feeling that way?" Mousse replied as he suddenly and mysteriously produced a dry towel and set it down on the rocks.

"No, he's finally gotten around to addressing it," Ranma said with a crooked smirk.

"So now that we've got the island secured, what do we do tomorrow?" Mousse asked completely ignoring Ryoga's question and the girls on the other side of the bath.

"Actually," Tsuruko said as she announced her presence, "I need to go to Mahora Academy. Well, Motoko and I both need to, and I was wondering if you would accompany us Saotome-kun."

"Why him?" Motoko asked as she appeared behind her sister.

"Because Ranma is the only one of them who's been able to fend for himself at night," Tsuruko stated. "No offense Mousse."

Mousse bowed his head.

"As useful as his cursed form is, we wouldn't be able to communicate with him and his nearsightedness could be a liability. Hibiki-kun's lack of direction would also be a liability to us," the older swordswoman explained. "Saotome-kun's the best choice to accompany us."

"What?!" Naru shouted from the changing room. "No one said anything about anyone going anywhere!"

Motoko nodded. After all, things had not gone as planned when Su had left on her trip to Todai. What was supposed to be a one day trip had turned into something much longer and traumatic.

"I need to go to Mahora," Tsuruko said firmly. "I sent the rest of the Shinmeiryuu to Mahora but I haven't heard from them since we left Kyoto."

"Tsuruko's right," Ranma said as he stood up. "If there are any survivors we need to help them out."

The girls gasped, their eyes drifting towards the water line.

"Ranma," Tsuruko smirked, "I didn't realize we were on such intimate terms."

The young martial artist's face turned beet red, and not from the hot water. In the blink of an eye he submerged himself, not even daring to glance at the blushing girls.

"Just so everyone knows," Narusagawa's voice cut in from the changing room, "I'm letting everyone know that I completely object to having to make the bath co-ed. If any of you do anything perverted I'm going to feed you to the Darkseekers personally."

_God, she is like the tomboy_, Ranma thought as he emerged just enough so that his face was now completely out of the hot water.

The sound of the door sliding open then close quickly followed. But it was the sound of heavy feet stomping on the stones that signaled Naru's approach. The sudden splash of water announced Su's presence as the always excitable young girl leapt high into the air before cannon balling into the hot water. The resulting splash robbing the boys of any cover momentarily as the displaced water flew over Su's head.

"Is 'procreate' fun?" Su asked as the water settled around her. Glancing around at the stunned, flush faces of her companions (sans Dr. Tofu and Tsuruko) the bubbly foreigner cocked her head as she waded over to Motoko. "Is 'procreate' a food? Does it taste good?"

"S-Su," the younger swordswoman stammered, "where did you hear that word?"

"I heard it on the security camera when I was in the control room."

A sudden click rang through Ranma's mind, "You mean you've got a security camera trained on the bath?"

"Of course," the blond nodded firmly. Pointing up to the second floor to the east, then to the third floor to the south, and finally to the northwest wall, the young inventive genius smiled proudly.

"So you've been watching us the entire time?!" Ryoga exclaimed as he moved his hands to add additional cover for his private parts.

"No," Su replied as she screwed her eyes in thought. "There's just too much to watch on the monitors so I just listened."

*****

Despite his exhaustion from a long day of leveling several houses and widening the shallow river, the fanged boy's eyes opened wide. Blinking he allowed his eyes to adjust to the darkness before sitting up. The sound of Ranma's steady snores was there, but where was Mousse? Feeling his bowls moving, Ryoga quickly got to his feet. _I should be able to find the bathroom by myself; it's just at the end of the hallway_, he thought as he slid open the bedroom door. _Damn, must have been Su's super spicy curry…_

With one eye closed the bandana wearing youth took a right. Twenty meters later he encountered the end of the hallway. _Damn!_ Gripping his stomach he turned around and headed back towards the boys' room and to the bathroom.

Reaching the intersection he opened the door to the only room in the intersection. Blinded by the light Ryoga blinked his eyes as he tried to adjust to the sudden light. The sight of Naru with her pajama pants around her knees as she stood barely registered in his mind.

"Pervert!"

WHAM!!

A thundering punch connected with his jaw, knocking him out of the doorway and off his feet.

"What are you doing?!" Motoko's voice hissed.

Opening his eyes Ryoga could tell that the security lights had been turned on. The purplish dark lights gave off just enough light for the residents to see without drawing any unwanted Darkseeker attention. Said light allowed him to see that he was on the floor and the door to the bathroom was once again closed.

"He was peeping!" Naru shouted through the bathroom door.

"Narusagawa-san," Tsuruko said sternly, "would you please refrain from shouting? You do know that Darkseekers have better hearing than normal humans, and that unnecessary shouting will attract their attention?"

Naru's growled some sort of response from the other side of the door.

"What were you doing out of bed?" Motoko asked as she put her hand on her sword.

"I just got up to use the bathroom," Ryoga replied as he eyed the swordswoman. _This is what it must be like to be Ranma_…

*****

The rising sun did not greet the gathered survivors residing at the Hinata Sou the following morning. Dark storm clouds and distant thunder hinted at the fast approaching storm. But it was the Hinata's thick fog that worried the auburn haired girl.

"You're sure that you have to go?" Narusagawa asked as she eyed the gray mist.

"While the weather prevents us from using Mecha Tama (version 13), it'll also keep the Darkseekers holed up," Tsuruko stated.

"Yeah," Ranma seconded, "they hate the cold weather and rain like this is going to keep them inside. The rain will also wipe away our scent, making it harder for them to follow us if they are out and about. If we're lucky it'll keep raining tonight; that'll mean that they won't be out as well."

"We should be in Mahora by tonight Ran-ma," Tsuruko accentuated each syllable in his name.

Motoko and Naru both bristled at the older woman's informal use of Ranma's name, both playing back the incident in the baths the previous night for different reasons.

*****

She could practically taste the fast approaching storm as the air rushed past the swordswoman's face. Reaching the apex of her leap, she began to descend slowly then picked up speed again before landing on the roof top. Despite her best efforts Motoko was beginning to fall behind not only her sister, but the gender cursed Ranma as well.

_There's no way that he can keep up such a frantic pace_, she thought as she spotted him several houses ahead of them. Seeing him stop atop a rail line she suppressed a grin. _I knew he couldn't keep it up; it was all for show._

"Hey, should I just go on without you or are you two going to catch up?" the pigtailed boy shouted as he turned back to wave at the two swordswomen. Seeing the two in their special, form fitting outfits (which Su had supplied them, insisting that their normal outfits would be too bulky and get in the way) Ranma blushed.

Infuriated, the lithe swordswoman grit her teeth as she sped towards the offending boy. Following his exact trail, though not his footsteps, she leapt off the same building he'd jumped off of to get to the train tracks overhead. _If he can do it I can do it_, she thought as she sailed through the air. _No, I'm not going to make it_. Reaching out she hoped to at least grab hold of the ledge.

Suddenly a strong, firm hand grabbed hold of her extended arm, gently pulling her up and onto the train tracks.

"Don't push yourself," Ranma said as he inadvertently pulled her close to him. Holding onto her ever so briefly he took a deep breath, inhaling her scent. Realizing just what he did, he as well as his close proximity to her he took a step back. Covering for his awkwardness he pulled out a map and the special radio that Su had given him.

"Su, how far do we have to go?" he asked as he gave Motoko some more room. Though the two siblings wore their form fitting outfits with little over it the pigtailed martial artists wore his usual attire of red silk shirt and just loose enough black pants.

"Wow," Su's voice cut in on the small ear pieces that the three travelers each wore, "you've traveled nearly forty eight kilometers in under three hours if my GPS trackers are right. You're standing on train tracks correct?"

"Yep," the boy replied.

"Good, just follow the tracks," Su instructed. "They should lead you straight to Mahora Academy."

*****

Hidden in the shadows the lone figure eyed the series of traps she had set up to protect her tiny refuge. Despite the threatening rain the ninja knew not to rely on just the fickle weather for her defenses. Satisfied that the Darkseekers would not be able to penetrate her defenses she set off to set up her second decoy lair.

Despite the fog the skilled ninja navigated the dark twists and turns without incident. Leaping onto a roof she emerged from the mists only to see the dark gray clouds overhead as they threatened to rain down on her.

Out of the corner of her eyes the ninja caught a flicker of movement. Slipping into the shadows she watched as the trio of travelers leapt from roof top to roof top, avoiding the thick fog below. Seeing them take sticking to the high road (train tracks really) she disappeared into the fog below.

_If only I had more clothes_, the ninja thought as she kept her eyes on the cute guy leading the two women. _Why do ninja's have to wear such stupid clothes? Stupid old dogi and bandages_.

*****

Naru Narusagawa considered herself a patient and understanding girl. As a student at the prestigious Tokyo University she also considered herself a smart girl. Yet despite her intelligence and patience, the auburn haired girl couldn't get over the incident that morning. Having that idiot Ryoga walking in on her as she used the bathroom had been demeaning and wrong. He deserved to be punished! And she had punished him. The blow that she had struck him with would have sent Keitaro flying down the hallway if not through the roof. But somehow the thickheaded Ryoga had barely budged.

"From what my mother told me, I had an uncle who practiced Mu… kick boxing," Ryoga said as he helped Kanako by carrying several boxes of food down to the kitchen. "Have you heard of the famous street fighter Sagat?"

Kanako nodded, "The king of Muay Thai Sagat?"

"Yeah, that Sagat," Ryoga growled. "Apparently my uncle took Sagat's eye in a fight but ended up dying in the fight."

Further behind the first pair, Mousse and Mutsumi walked side by side. Though the pair appeared to be carrying nothing it only appeared that way due to the fact that the nearsighted weapons master had stuffed their supplies into stuff space.

"How do you manage to get your hair so luxurious and vibrant?" Mutsumi asked her companion.

"Um, Chinese herbs," the long haired boy answered.

"The ones that you use every night in the bath?" the buxom brunette asked.

"Time to head back in," Dr. Tofu ordered as he looked at the skies. "Kanako, make sure that you keep an eye on Ryoga, I wouldn't want him to get lost if he transforms."

"Okay," the slender martial artist replied as she led the boys back towards the Hinata Sou.

"Are you alright?" the doctor asked as he turned around and spotted the look of pain on Naru's face. "Did you do something to your hand?"

"Didn't you hit Ryoga this morning?" Mutsumi asked as she reached out and gently took hold of her injured friend's wrist.

Dr. Tofu leaned forward as he adjusted his glasses. "I don't know what the boys around here were like, but Ryoga's made of sterner stuff then most. Of all the Nerima fighters he's probably the most durable falling behind only Happosai and Taro."

Naru resisted the urge to punch the doctor as he put his hands on her injured one.

"If I remember correctly, Akane said something about Ryoga being smashed into one-ton boulders as part of him mastering one of his techniques," the doctor explained. "He's definitely not someone you need to handle with kid gloves. Though looking at your hand, I'd say that you need gloves if you're going to try hitting him again."

Mousse nodded, "Few Amazons complete the breaking point training. For Ryoga to have mastered that technique speaks highly of his abilities as a fighter. If not for the fact that he gets lost going from the kitchen to the dining room… well, you know how that goes."

"With so many boys around and the entire Hinata Sou secured, why don't we have the boys live in the west wing?" Mutsumi suggested. "It's unfair of us to have all four of them share one room when there are so many that are open throughout the third floor."

"It might be a good idea to have a light on the bathroom door; that way we let everyone else know when it's occupied," Dr. Tofu suggested. "I'd hate to have to treat Narusagawa for a broken hand again."

*****

The feel of Tina's firm breasts and her naked body pressed against his left Keitaro feeling, well, aroused. Trapped inside their sailboat by the heavy rain the pair had little to do and little room to do anything unless they stayed in the warm, comfortable bed.

"Hmmm," the blond purred as she caressed his bare buttocks, "you ready for more?"

Feeling her bare foot and leg moving against his, the be-speckled young man couldn't help but notice how his body was reacting to his naked lover's every touch. Grabbing hold of her large breasts he began to massage them as he pushed her back down onto the mattress. Even after having sex twice a day (once in the morning and at least another time before finally going to sleep) Keitaro couldn't help but savor each and every moment he spent massaging Tina's marvelous breasts. Listening to her moans he wrapped his lips around her right nipple, licking and nipping at it playfully.

Having spent the last few days making love, err, having sex with the buxom blond, the pervy former dorm manager knew that he couldn't just focus on his own enjoyment of the act. Taking his lips off of her right nipple he moved onto her left as he caressed her firm buttocks with his free hand.

Feeling her warm hands pulling his face to hers, Keitaro knew that she was ready. Kissing her passionately he slid into her, eliciting a pleasure-filled purr from his lover.

Legs entwined they slowly found each other's rhythm as their hips and bodies collided fervidly. Moans and gasps filled the cabin as they focused on each other and their own sensual pleasures.

Grinning, Keitaro pulled out as he grabbed Tina's hips. Rolling her over, he lifted her firm ass into the air before sliding into her again. Hearing her moan into the pillows he thrust into her repeatedly. After several thrusts she let out a deep, satisfied scream. With every thrust Keitaro gasped for air, panting heavily until he finally came inside of her.

The sound of distant gun shots startled the naked pair. Yelping, Keitaro fell out of the bed as Tina instinctively wrapped the thin blankets around herself. More gunshots filled the air, closer this time and accompanied by several shouts.

Scrambling for their clothes Keitaro tossed a pair of shorts to Tina as he pulled on his own khaki shorts (sans boxers). Rushing up the stairs half naked as he was, he glad that he at least remembered to bring his glasses. Reaching the portside bow (or was it starboard?) he could hear the frantic splashing of someone swimming closer to the boat. Despite the rain and haze he could see several flashes of light as more gunfire erupted from the distant docks. Squinting he focused his eyes, barely making out several dark figures as they fired at whoever it was that quickly swimming towards the sailboat.

"What's going on?" Tina shouted as she pulled a t-shirt over her bouncing breasts.

"I don't know," he answered. "It looks like there are several people in a fight on the docks. Sounds like some of them have guns."

"Should we help them?"

"We'll see," Keitaro said firmly as he went back into the cabin.

"What are you going to do?"

Grabbing the shotgun and a box of ammo, he loaded it. Spotting the rifle he grabbed that as well before rushing back onto the deck. "Here," he said as he offered her the shotgun. "I hope that they don't come here, but…."

A deep calming breath later and Keitaro knelt by the railing as he looked into the gun's sighting. With a better view of the chaos before him Keitaro watched as the handful of survivors on the docks fought it out, shooting at each other as well as at the mysterious individual in the water.

Two figures danced around the dozen or so others, somehow avoiding the gunfire as they kicked and punched their assailants. Slowly the two sleek fighters whittled down their supposedly overwhelming opponents, knocking them down and a few into the water. With most of their armed opponents out, the pair leapt into the water.

"Shit!"

"What?" Tina shouted.

"I think two of them are swimming here," Keitaro hissed.

"What do we do?"

_Damn, they're fast_, the be-speckled boy thought as he tried to draw a bead on them. Two sleek figures tread water, covering the distance in what he was sure was better than any official Olympic times. Waiting for them to come within hearing distance he shot a warning shot that hit the water just to the front and left of the first swimmer. "Stop right there!" he shouted in what he hoped was a commanding tone.

Strawberry blond and brunette heads popped out of the water as the two young women came to a relative stop.

"Is that Japanese?" the strawberry blond asked her companion.

"I think so," the brunette replied.

Keitaro opened his mouth to speak only to be cut off by one of the two women. "Please, we need your help!" the brunette shouted. "The city's been overrun by lawless thugs, we can't stay there any longer. Please, let us come aboard!"

Despite his many recent fights with the biker gangs, or perhaps because of them, Keitaro knew that he couldn't refuse the girls their plea for assistance. Though he had somehow managed to avoid being captured by the bikers back in L.A., he knew that not everyone had been as successful in avoiding both the gangs of thugs and punks and the packs of Darkseekers.

Seeing the look in the Keitaro's eyes Tina knew he was considering letting them on. "Keitaro," she pleaded, not sure that she could trust the two young women.

"I can't just leave them," he replied as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes.

"Swear to whatever it is that you hold most dear," he yelled, "that you will not harm either of us or get in our way."

The two women glanced at each other as they somehow managed to stay afloat. "We swear," the brunette replied.

"I need you both to swear separately," Keitaro insisted as he watched them through the scope.

"I swear on my honor," the brunette shouted back.

"I swear on my honor as well," the strawberry blond repeated.

Though he kept his rifle trained on them, Keitaro let the pair swim the rest of the way unimpeded. Setting the gun aside he threw a rope ladder over the side for the two swimmers.

"Thank you," the brunette said as she pulled herself up the ladder.

Keitaro offered a slight bow, more out of embarrassment then in welcoming as he tried to avoid looking at the young woman before him. Though she appeared to be barely older than himself, perhaps only a few years difference at most, she was clearly a fighter. Aside from what he'd seen them do from a distance, it was clear from her lean, tone muscles that she was an excellent athlete and an accomplished fighter. Her form-fitting outfit resembled a one piece bathing suit, except it had long sleeves. Looking at the handful of tears and rips (one long one over the brunette's perky breasts that caught his eye) he knew that the outfit had seen better days.

Trying not to notice her firm, tight ass and her long shapely legs (long for someone only as tall as himself) as she bent over the railing to help her companion up the ladder, Keitaro set his rifle aside out of the rain.

The other woman appeared to be nearly identical to the brunette as she stood perhaps only a few centimeters shorter but had virtually the same perky breasts, and lean, tone muscles as her companion. If not for the fact that the strawberry blonde's outfit lacked the same rips and tears and had two long sleeves, and their hair color, Keitaro would have easily confused the two of them.

"I'm Juli," the brunette stated as she held out her hand, "and this is Juni."

_Even their names are similar_, Keitaro thought as he took Juli's hand. "I'm Keitaro and that's Tina."

A strong grip took hold of his hand before suddenly yanking him off balance and spinning him around in the same quick motion. Feeling Juli's other hand on clamped over his throat he stared at Tina's shocked face as she tried to take in the scene.

"You should not be so trusting Keitaro," Juli stated as she released her hold on him. "If we were perhaps warriors without honor we might not have cared to uphold the promises we made to you. As we are honorable warriors, we will not break our promise to you."

"Er," he said as he turned around to face them, "thanks."

*****

"Damn," Ranma cursed as he came to a complete stop.

"What is it?" Motoko asked as she came to a stop behind him.

"There's a barrier," Tsuruko stated as she put her hand out to touch the manifested magical energy. "But it shouldn't affect us. It's designed to alert those inside of any intruders."

Whistling, the elder swordswoman held out her arm. In a matter of moments her trusty bird, Shippu, appeared as it descended. Landing on her outstretched arm it let out a light cry.

"Shippu says that the world tree isn't too far ahead," Tsuruko said, informing her traveling companions. "If not for the fog you'd see the World Tree already."

"World Tree?" Ranma asked.

"You'll have to see it to understand," Motoko shrugged.

"They say that during the Mahora Festival if a couple confesses their feelings or makes a promise to each other that they will keep that promise," Tsuruko said with a sly smile. "It's supposed to be much more powerful than Todai's."

Ranma shuddered, his own experiences with magic, the ones that bound a person to another in particular, had not been good. To think that someone could be bound by against their will by something other than their personal sense of honor…

"Are you alright Ran-ma?" Tsuruko teased, accentuating each syllable of his name purposely.

"Yeah," the pigtailed boy shrugged. "Let's get going."

*****

A/N

No, the mysterious ninja isn't Kaede – I decided against writing in any characters I shipped Ranma with from other fics thus the likely girls from Negima are out. Any guesses as to who our new ninja is? What about the two young lovelies that Keitaro picked up?

Yes, things are going to get interesting relationship wise for everyone. Still thinking of Dr. Tofu/Tsuruko, but no one else is set. Keitaro/Naru eventually, but it'll be a ways off for future chapters.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	14. Chapter 14

Author's Notes –

No more disclaimers – I posted them on the first ten chapters or so of the fic. I hope you're not that ignorant of ownership issues with this fic if you've been reading it this long.

I'm leaving ships open right now.

Yes, Dr. Tofu is kinda meek, especially for someone as forward and firm as Tsuruko, and I guess age shouldn't be an issue….

I realize that Motoko and Naru are both similar to Akane in that they're both 'light' versions of the tomboy, and thus Ranma would have to deal with similar issues with them. The thing is, don't expect the cast to stay true to their portrayals in the manga/anime/games as the situations are forcing them to adapt and change ever so slightly.

Yes, there's a reason for so many crossovers. The newer characters shouldn't take away from the face time of the major characters – Ranma and Keitaro – but they will affect the leads' somehow. As to SF timeline, this is after SF4 but before SF3 (which is weird but that's how Capcom did it so don't blame me) and after SFA so expect the dolls to try and have some personality as they're trying to deprogram.

As to Ranma learning new techniques, well he hasn't exactly had the time to with everything that's happening. But expect that to change once he finally gets pushed to the limit by a Darkseeker.

On a side note – WooHoo, this fic hit 100 reviews.

*****

It wasn't unusual for the young, energetic blond to be found deep in thought as she went over her various scientific experiments. As the Hinata Sou's resident mad scientist Su was often found working hard in her workshop. But with the fall of mankind due to the Krippin virus she rarely left the safety of the air-filtered second and third floors of the Hinata Sou. Her specially designed shower (which was much more efficient though less entertaining than a bath) inside her room allowed her to wash up but kept her separate from the rest of the residents who were able to share an hour bathing together. Forced to stay inside she had taken to doing what she could do – working on a cure and on new mecha designs.

With Ryoga and Mousse around to do the heavy labor Su knew she could devote her attention and resources to finally analyzing the information she'd gathered while in Todai. Having also gathered a blood sample from each of the residents (new and old) she carefully placed a drop of their blood on individual glass slides. Handing the slides delicately she slide them onto a tray and into a specially designed and prepared room where the robotic arms carefully added an extract of gathered blood and saliva from the former Hinata Sou residents turned Darkseekers.

As the machines labeled the samples Su yawned. "I guess I'll work on that personal air filter," she mumbled. _Need to make it more durable so that I can take more than one bath with everyone_.

*****

Ranma really hated his, err, her beard. The thick red growth was very irritating in more ways than one. Since changing into his, err, her girl form (kinda hard to think that he, err, she was a girl when she had a thick beard) Ranma noticed not only the itchy and irritable skin around her chin and mouth, but an uneasy feeling that presided over the back of her mind. She just wanted to lash out at something, anything. She even debated picking a fight with either or both swordswomen just because… well, just because she wanted to.

"Why don't we stop in here?" Tsuruko suggested as they came across a now vacant café. "We might be able to find some food and we all need to rest a bit."

Ranma followed the elder sibling into the unlocked café. Standing so close behind the tall, elegant woman he, err, she couldn't help but notice the swordswoman's firm buttocks and shapely legs. Gulping, the bearded redhead fought the urge to simply tackle the woman before him, err, her, as she held the door for Motoko.

Damn, Motoko's pretty hot too, she thought as the younger Aoyama sibling walked past her. Without those bindings she really does have a nice pair….

Shaking her head, Ranma fought back the desire to ravish either of the women in their skin tight outfits. She was sure that if she were in her male form she'd have been pitching a tent. Grateful for the lack of such an obvious sign of her arousal the redhead closed the door as she distinctly tried not to look at the pair of sibling's firm, fine asses as they walked ahead of him.

*****

Rolling his neck Ryoga smirked. It'd been a long time since he'd been able to spar with anyone. Sure, destroying half of Nerima had been fun (in a drunken sense of the word) but it hadn't been what he needed. Cracking his fists he offered Mousse a respectful bow. The nearsighted boy gently pushed his glasses over his eyes before returning the gesture.

"Okay," Dr. Tofu said, drawing the two boy's attention. "Remember, no ki enforcements for strength and no special techniques. This is sparring only – you're not here to destroy the place."

Both boys nodded.

"Begin!"

Charging ahead Ryoga knew that he had a distinct advantage over his opponent in close combat. Though Mousse was faster the nearsighted boy was used to using weapons at mid to long range. Without his beloved weapons Mousse would be hard pressed to keep up with Ryoga's strength and endurance.

Surprisingly Mousse held his ground as the directionless wrecking ball known and Ryoga closed with him. A sudden sweep threatened to knock Ryoga's feet out from under him, forcing him to jump out of the way and abort his attack.

"They're pretty good," Mutsumi stated Kanako settled in beside her.

"Eh, I've seen better," Naru replied as she nursed her injured hand.

"This is nothing," Kanako added. "I'm sure that if they really wanted to go all out then they'd be tearing this place apart."

Naru looked at the raven haired girl skeptically.

"The only reason I found them was because Ryoga and Ranma had leveled most of Nerima," the lithe girl stated. "Somehow the two of them had done so with brute force, though they were pretty drunk when it happened."

The trio of girls watched as Mousse peppered Ryoga with swift kicks and punches. Though he landed more attacks it was clear that Ryoga was unfazed as he shrugged off the hits. Finally he managed to break through the longhaired boy's defenses, slipping past his guard as he connected with a glancing blow to Mousse's stomach, doubling him over. Winding up for a left cross Ryoga growled as he started to throw the punch.

"Stop!" Dr. Tofu commanded, calling an end to the practice bout.

Opening his fist Ryoga patted Mousse on the back, helping his breathless opponent to stand straight.

"I knew you were strong," the be-speckled boy gasped, "but…"

"Hehe," Ryoga chuckled as he scratched his head, not sure he wanted to admit to having received a gift from Happosai. "I guess I forgot how strong I really am."

*****

Glaring at the kettle of water Ranma willed the liquid to heat up faster than it already was. For countless minutes (at least it seemed that way) the bearded girl had simply sat and stared at the kettle as Tsuruko headed up to the roof in hopes of getting a better view of the area around them.

"Shouldn't we be gathering supplies?" Motoko suggested from across the room. With one of the curtains draped over her shoulder to provide her with some modesty (since the skin tight suit let little to the imagination) she leaned against the wall with her arms crossed before her (which only served to accentuate her unbound breasts).

The whistle of the kettle informed him, err, her, that the water was ready. Pouring the water into three cups and then into a thermostat Ranma made sure that there was enough water left in the kettle before she pulled off her wet silk shirt, the busty bearded redhead stood up. Ignoring Motoko's protest about being topless in public, Ranma poured the hot water over her, err, his head. The change was instantaneous, though not as gratifying as he had expected. Though the itch from his female form's beard was gone, the other, odd restlessness remained.

"As much as I like the view, I do think that you'll give my poor little sister a heart attack, Ran-ma," Tsuruko teased.

Stuffing his still wet shirt into stuff-space, Ranma pulled out a dry one. Quickly putting it on, he stood tall before the two women. "So, what's up?" he asked as he spotted the odd figure standing beside the swordswoman. "Who's your friend?"

A pale white figure emerged from the shadows. Even in the darkness it was clear that the newcomer was not human. Something about the odd ears and the fact that she wasn't wearing clothes (though that depended if you included armor as clothing) had clued him off to that fact.

"I am Seven," the gynoid replied with a formal bow.

"Seven?" Motoko repeated; her hand on her sword.

"She is one of the handfuls of gynoids left," Tsuruko explained.

"Gynoid?" the raven haired boy asked.

"I'll explain on the way," the elder Aoyama stated. "Right now we need to get moving. We need to make it to Library Island before night fall.

"Seven, if you would."

The gynoid simply walked towards the entrance, leading the trio of survivors out of the café.

"It appears that we were too late," Tsuruko explained. "The day after the rest of the Shinmeiryuu arrived here the magi here decided to evacuate the remaining populace."

"So they went to this 'Library Island'?" Ranma asked. It made sense as the water did keep the Darkseekers away.

"No, they went to the magical world," Tsuruko stated. "While the magic of the World Tree was able to filter out the airborne virus, it couldn't keep the Darkseekers away from the populace here. The only safe place left for them to go was the magical world where there was no Krippin Virus."

"Then why are we going to this Library Island sister?"

"For shelter – it won't be long before the Darkseekers come out," the elder swordswoman answered. "The World Tree not only provides a lot of cover and shade, it also keeps a lot of rain from falling on the ground around its base."

_Not to mention that it's a lot warmer here, so they're more likely to come out despite the weather_, Ranma thought as he trailed after the gynoid.

*****

Stuck in the tiny cabin together Keitaro couldn't help but wonder if they would be able to continue using the sailboat. It had been just the right size for two people, but for four, well, it would be extremely cramped. Though the bed was designed for one, it was capable of holding two, and with the two unused hammocks there would be enough room for everyone. The only thing they needed were blankets as the two meager blankets had barely kept Keitaro and Tina warm during the cold nights. "Sorry," he said as he turned to allow Juni and Juli to enter the tiny cabin. Pressing his back against the wall he waited as the two walked into the cramped space. "This is all we have – it's not a lot, but hopefully it'll do."

"It'll do," the brunette, Juli, replied in crisp Japanese.

"Um, we should probably get you two out of your clothes," he added. "We've got some extra clothes over in that…"

Unable to speak, Keitaro simply watched as the Juli and Juni stripped off their tight one-piece outfits as though he weren't there. _C-cups_…

A loud crashing sound brought Tina rushing down the stairs, shotgun in hand as she came down to the cabin to investigate. "Keitaro! What did you…?"

The sight of the two young women, naked as the day they were borne, standing by the hammocks as a stunned Keitaro lay on the floor told the busty blond everything she needed to know. He had after all passed out after seeing her completely naked once.

*****

The vast, wide open spaces simply amazed Ranma. _I've seen hotels smaller then this library_, he thought as he glanced up at the high ceilings overhead. _No wonder it's an entire island_.

The short (to him) trip had been uneventful as he had somehow managed to avoid transforming as the rain gave way to a heavy mist. If not for the gynoid's guidance Ranma was sure that they would not have been able to find the island (or they would have at least had to swim there).

Aside from the handful of Seven's sisters and brothers and the trio of survivors, there appeared to be no one on the campus at all. What had once clearly been a bustling campus full of life was little more than a series of vacant buildings and empty plazas. Stores that had once seen plenty of traffic had not seen any visitors in what appeared to be months.

"Where are we going?" Motoko asked as Seven led them down a deep stairwell.

"To see the Colonel," Seven stated.

Glancing over the edge of the stairs, Ranma contemplated just taking the quick way down. Still antsy and feeling the need to do something, he wanted to just jump over the edge.

"Saotome-san!" Motoko shouted, clearly alarmed by his apparent suicidal tendencies.

"Ranma!" Tsuruko's voice echoed as she held her sister back from following after him.

Bouncing off of the walls he rapidly descended as he did a reverse triangle jump all the way down to the next level a good kilometer down from the top of the stairs.

Shaking his head, Ranma knew that even if he did take that route he'd have to wait for the girls and the gynoid to reach the bottom. That would take too long. Seeing Shippu gliding down the open chasm Ranma nodded, his decision already made.

"Sorry," he said to Motoko before him.

"What did you do now?" the uptight swordswoman asked as she stopped and turned around to face him.

Grabbing hold of her arm he pulled her to him. Shifting his hold on her he wrapped his arm around her as he lifted her off her feet and hooked his other arm under her legs. Jumping over the side he easily reached the opposite wall.

"RANMA!" Motoko shouted as she realized that he had jumped over the edge. Somehow she managed to drown out both Tsuruko and Seven's shouts. Wrapping her arms around his neck and head she clung to him as the air rushed by them.

Leaping from one side of the hole to the other, he cleared the gaping chasm, easily reaching the stairs without breaking a sweat. After a few jumps he had his rhythm down pat, landing gently on some soft yet firm ground, he set down his passenger.

"That was faster," he stated happily. Slowly he set the trembling swordswoman down. "You alright?"

Knees still weak Motoko slammed her palms into his shoulders, "Wh-what the hell were you doing?!"

"Uh, I got impatient," Ranma stated. "I tend to just take the straightest route, even if it's just down."

"Y-you're insane!" she shouted as she buried her face into his shoulder.

Feeling her breasts pressed against his chest, Ranma felt his desire for her grow, well, something was growing… Breathing in her scent as she clung to him, he refrained from wrapping his arms around her as he spotted Tsuruko and Seven slowly descended on the gynoid's rocket boots.

Hearing the roar of Seven's rockets, Motoko quickly composed herself. Pulling herself away from Ranma she stood tall, towering just over the shorter pigtailed martial artist.

"You should be safe down here," Seven stated as she landed.

"That looked like fun," Tsuruko smirked, "maybe we can do that next time Ran-ma."

Feeling a wave of heat as her sister taunted the shorter martial artist, Motoko secretly fumed. Not sure if she was upset at her sister for her blatant teasing of Ranma or because she was jealous that her sister had that kind of relationship with him, Motoko turned her back to everyone as she pretended to examine the large cavern they were now in.

"Wow," Ranma exclaimed as he took in the unbelievable cavern. "Where's the light coming from?"

Watching as Seven lead Ranma around the cavern, Motoko felt a slight pang of jealousy as the lone boy went off with the gynoid.

*****

The sound of heavy, labored breathing filled the room as the two young men faced off. With little to do other than spar Ryoga and Mousse had spent virtually the entire day trading punches, kicks, and the occasional throw. Though Kanako and Dr. Tofu occasionally swapped in, it had been primarily Ryoga squaring off against Mousse.

_Seven to one_, he thought as he counted the number of hits that Mousse landed before he managed to land a counter. Despite the disparity of hits landed it was clear that Mousse looked much worse as Ryoga's punishing hits continued to land. Even though he had slowly begun to tone down the power behind his punches, the bandana wearing boy still had yet to properly adjust to his increased strength.

Hearing the air rush out of Mousse's lungs, Ryoga stood up. Offering his hand he helped Mousse back to his feet.

"I think that's enough for today," Dr. Tofu declared as he stood up.

Dripping sweat, Mousse nodded while Ryoga panted. Wiping the sweat from their brows, the two boys exchanged polite bows.

*****

Hiding in the shadows a lone figure continued to watch the trio and their mechanical guide as she trailed after the group of survivors. Even with the fog turning to mist, it wasn't hard for the skilled ninja to follow the group discretely.

Even though she had been concerned about losing her quarry once they entered the large building, the ninja had managed to follow their trail despite the many twists and turns through the multiple shelves full of books. Scuffed wood, wet footprints in the carpet or on the tiles told her the path that the group had taken. Reaching the giant stairwell the ninja girl swiftly descended. Hopefully her luck would hold and she'd be able to tail the group.

*****

A gentle rain fell, filling the open air bath with the sound of rain drops hitting the large tarp. Though much more humid then usual, it was much better than forsaking a bath after the day's sparring.

"Ah," Mousse exclaimed, "that feels so nice…."

Seeing the handful of bruises on Mousse's torso Ryoga tried to change the subject, "I wonder what Ranma and the others are doing right now?"

"Wow, those must hurt," Dr. Tofu stated as he walked over to Mousse.

"This is nothing," Mousse replied. "Ranma's usually roughs me up this bad when we get into a fight, so it's nothing I'm not used to. They'll probably be gone when I wake up in the morning."

"Hehe," Ryoga chuckled nervously, "yeah, Ranma usually does a lot worse when we mix things up."

Dr. Tofu nodded as he stepped into the hot water. "Ryoga, I know you're a tough nut to crack, but have you always had issued holding back?"

"Err, um…"

"I think I remember Shampoo once saying that only a really strong and tough girl could handle Ryoga," Mousse stated. "Even she couldn't handle him, and she was probably the strongest girl chasing Ranma."

Dr. Tofu nodded again as he settled into the water, "Maybe it would be best if you didn't spar with the others, at least until you develop better control."

If he hadn't been sitting Ryoga would have fallen over. "What?!"

"If you can't hold back while sparring than you might end up accidentally injuring one of the girls," Dr. Tofu reasoned.

"But… I… I could never hit one of them…"

"I know you wouldn't intentionally harm them," Dr. Tofu conceded. "But you yourself have said that you sometimes don't know your own strength, and it has happened before that you've acted instinctively. Just because you haven't hurt anyone yet doesn't mean that you couldn't do it in the future.

"I think you should work with Tsuruko and Motoko when they get back," he suggested as Ryoga seemed to deflate. "The Shinmeiryuu techniques are famous for their power as well as for the swordsmen's great control as well. Once you learn to control your monstrous strength you'll be a much better martial artist."

Beaming at the prospect of becoming better (and thus being able to defeat Ranma) Ryoga grinned manically at the experienced martial artist's suggestion.

"Mousse, I think we'll have to talk with Su about the possibility of getting you some contacts; that should improve your vision."

Glowering at the suggestion and the fact that he wasn't going to actually learn anything, the long haired martial artist sunk into the hot water.

"Once we correct your vision I'll work with you on your aim and teaching you pressure points," Dr. Tofu added. "You might not be as strong as Ryoga, but with pressure points and better aim you'll be able to stop stronger and tougher opponents with minimal risk to yourself. I'm not sure if the pressure points will work on Darkseekers, but since they're essentially the same as normal people, they should still have the same vital spot and weaknesses."

*****

Pealing off the special skin-tight outfit that Su had made for her, Motoko paused. Scanning the area to make sure that Ranma wasn't around, she continued to undress. Folding up her outfit she waded into the warm water. Finding a nice spot to settle into, she slowly submerged into the refreshing water.

Cupping her hand, she trapped some of the warm water as she lifted it. _I wonder if this is warm enough to keep Ranma from transforming?_

Blinking as she realized that she'd been thinking of the uncivilized martial artist, she felt her face grow hot.

*****

The sound of the gentle rain hitting the wooden roof of the cabin and the gently rocking effect that the waves had on the sailboat had lulled half of the cabin's inhabitants to sleep. After a long day filled with many unexpected surprises, Keitaro couldn't help but wonder how the sudden changes were going to affect them all in the long haul.

Listening to the gentle but steady breaths, Keitaro sighed. With their shortage of blankets the foursome had agreed that the three girls would share the bed while he slept in the hammock. Throwing together their spare clothes they had even managed to stitch together a blanket large enough for the three girls to share while Keitaro used the two worn blankets. It was a temporary fix which would last only until they had enough blankets for those who would be sleeping in the hammocks and the bed so that everyone had their own blankets.

Thinking of the three young women laying in bed, completely naked, Keitaro couldn't help but envision himself in the middle of that threesome… well, foursome if he were added. It was almost as though he were back at the Hinata Sou. True, he hadn't seen any of the Hinata Sou girls completely naked, and he really didn't know how Juli and Juni felt about him….

A sinking feeling in his chest seemed to weigh him down even as he lay in the hammock. _I wonder how Naru and the others are doing?_

*****

"How far down do these stairs go?" Ibuki asked herself as she stopped to catch her breath.

Suddenly her keen senses picked up another presence. Spinning around she lost her footing as she slipped off the edge.

A large mass, probably human sized, collided with her as she went over the ledge. Lashing out instinctively she stared into her assailant's eyes.

"Just stay still or you're going to kill us both!" Ranma shouted as he wrapped his arm around her slim waist.

Latching her arms around his neck and shoulders she let him take control of the situation. A golden glow lit up the darkening tunnel/hole as the boy somehow shot a ball of ki, slowing them every so. Several more blasts followed, each one slowing them more and more until he stopped. Charging up for one last shot, he discharged a large ball of ki before wrapping his arm around her he twisted ever so slightly.

Crashing into a column of water Ibuki gasped, nearly choking on the warm water that had suddenly enveloped them.

*****

"You must be Tsuruko," a warm, inviting voice said as its owner emerged from a stairwell.

"And you must be the mysterious Colonel," the swordswoman returned as she appraised the mage before her. "Your reputation proceeds you."

"As does yours, mistress of the Shinmeiryuu," he smiled back. Waving his hand, he offered her a seat.

"Only because my brother adopted his wife's name," the swordswoman spat as she accepted a seat on the stone bench.

"And you choose to take your husband's name," he countered. "But enough with formalities, what news do you have?" Seeing that she sat across from him he lowered himself onto a bench.

"There are few survivors," the swordswoman replied. "What of the swordsmen and women who came here ahead of me?"

"Only three of them managed to make it to Mahora," the mage explained. "Combined with the two that were already here, the five of them left with the rest of Mahora's survivors. You know that one of them was tasked with protecting the headmaster's granddaughter."

"So my brother took his child and her guardian, and the others with him then," Tsuruko stated.

"Eishun did what he thought was best for her and for the rest of the survivors," the Colonel consoled. "There were over three hundred survivors, and even though they shouldn't encounter any problems in the magical world"

"The headmaster and my brother felt that they had a better chance of surviving in the magical world than here," Tsuruko said, cutting off her brother's former companion.

"Yes," the mage replied. "I stayed behind only because I cannot leave. Down here the air is untainted, and the magic of the World Tree keeps the Darkseekers away."

"For now," Tsuruko cut in again, "and the water should keep them away from Library Island once the fading magic finally gives way."

A somber nod answered her.

Suddenly a golden light filled the cavern as several golden balls rapidly fell, crashing into the warm water. Displaced water quickly shot up, crashing into two falling figures. "It seems our young stallion has found another mare," she stated.

*****

A golden glow filled the cavern as though a setting sun had appeared underground. Looking up, Motoko noted the presence several golden orbs flying down towards the surface of the water. _Ki?_

Suddenly the first ball collided with the water.

Closing her eyes Motoko braced herself for the resulting explosions as several more balls crashed into the now turbulent water. Tossed about by the rough water, Motoko bumped her head against the hard stone she'd been sitting against, dazing her.

*****

"You're sure she's going to be alright?" Ranma asked as he averted his eyes from the naked girl laying before him. It didn't help that he was the reason she was knocked out, or that her older sister was holding two swords. Not to mention that there was a young and fairly attractive kunoichi whom he had also knocked out, though the ninja girl was more of a drowning actually. _Man, what did I do in a past life to deserve this?_

"They both should be alright, Ran-ma," Tsuruko said.

If she's teasing me than it's not too bad, he thought.

"But since you are the one who knocked them both out, it is your responsibility to take care of them," the swordswoman stated, a wicked look gleaming in her eyes. "Besides, I'm sure you're familiar enough with the female body that you wouldn't be embarrassed by the sight."

Ranma felt a light trembling sensation run up and down his spine. "Yes," he replied curtly.

A polite bow later and Tsuruko was gone.

"Man, if only Seven or one of the other gynoids were still around," the pigtailed boy grumbled.

*****

"An interesting young man," the blue haired mage joked as the swordswoman returned.

Though only an apparition, the mage still managed to annoy the former head of the Shinmeiryuu. "Yes, he is very interesting Albireo."

The robed man smiled.

"Tell me; what do you know of Jusenkyo?"

"Jusenkyo?" Albireo repeated. "Never heard of it – why?"

"Find out what you can about it and maybe I'll be inclined to actually visit you," Tsuruko teased.

*****

A/N

I think I'll just leave things where they're at for now.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	15. Chapter 15

Author's Notes –

I realize that I didn't put a disclaimer up in the last few chapters as I added Ibuki, Juli, and Juni from the Street Fighter Series. I only wish I owned the creative rights to that franchise. Obviously I don't. The same goes for the rest of the anime/manga and movies that I've borrowed characters, concepts, and ideas from.

Oh, don't expect any other Capcom characters unless they're part of the SF universe – SF1, SF2, SF3, etc., and Rival Schools. There will not be Darkstalkers, Capcom vs., Bionic Commando, etc., unless it is in the context of characters talking about games, movies, or omaki.

Yes, the last chapter was mostly filler, but that's the way I roll – I use filler occasionally.

When Ranma and company were going down the stairs, our favorite pigtailed boy contemplated what would happen if he were to jump down with Motoko. Then he shook his head and reconsidered doing it, only to do so once he spotted Shippu gliding down. I realize that that scene may have been confusing to some of you. I'll try to differentiate imagination and dreams better in the future.

*****

Opening his eyes the warrior stirred. The darkness of the new night greeted him as he slowly stood up out of the lotus position he had been sitting in. Feeling his stomach growling he knew that he needed to hunt. Leaving his secluded cave the warrior sniffed the air. Hearing the distant roar of several others he knew that he would have to put off hunting to defend his territory.

A thundering roar filled the night sky as the warrior jumped into the air. Let the challengers come, he would beat them all.

*****

She was not happy. Though her pack had grown with the addition of three new members, she had lost two of her more experienced scouts in the last hunt. The fact that the last successful hunt had been over three nights ago did not sit well with the battle dogi wearing alpha. Her pack was hungry, and with such a large pack they needed a big kill. Though there was plenty of prey nearby, the four legged creatures remained out of their reach.

Though their scents were strong, she knew that her pack could not wait to feast. Letting out a primal, commanding roar, she led her pack away from the creatures and the cursed water that protected them.

It did not help that the water fell from the skies, filling the many wide rivers and streams even higher, keeping the creatures further out of the reach of her pack. Forced to travel underground she sniffed the air as she tried to make sense of the underground maze. Echoing roars and the fowl scents threw off her sense of direction. Still, it was her duty to lead her pack to more fertile hunting grounds. Setting off, she led them through the darkness.

*****

The cool night air was heavy with the musky scent of soil and plants. The gentle crackle of burning wood and the warmth of the fire suggested that someone had started a small fire. Opening her eyes the swordswoman tried to think back to the last thing she could remember.

_There was a golden light_, she recalled, _and I was taking a bath…. Oh no, I was naked..._ Clasping the cloth covering her, she quickly sat up.

"I see you're finally up." It was Ranma's now familiar voice. "Tsuruko went somewhere with Seven."

"Where"

"Your clothes are folded up to your left," Ranma said, cutting her off.

"You"

"saw you naked," he finished again. "I'm a girl half the time; I know what a girl's body looks like."

"But you're a bearded girl!" she shouted.

"Do you think I like the fact that I turn into a girl?!" he shouted back. "Hello – cursed form! Do you think that Mousse likes to turn into a duck or that Ryoga likes becoming a pig?!"

He wanted to say more but he couldn't. It wasn't right; she wasn't the one he needed to say it to.

"You're just a pervert!" Motoko shouted.

"You're a martial artist," he stated, "if you got an issue with me than let's settle it like martial artist!"

Fuming, Motoko stood up, mouth agape as she fought to find the right words. "Fine!" she shouted finally, drawing her sword. Dropping the little towel/blanket that provided her with some modesty she charged.

"I told ya," Ranma said as he ducked under her initial slash only to reappear a mere centimeter from her face, "it ain't like I haven't seen what girls like you got!"

A stiff palm strike sent her flying back. "You'd hit a girl?!" she gasped, fighting for breath.

"You want me to treat you like a girl or a martial artist?" Ranma shot back. Though his eyes told him that he was looking at a naked Motoko, his heart and mind envisioned Akane. "You can be one or the other, or both; so tell me, what are you?"

"Air cutting blade!" she shouted. _What am I?_

The pigtailed boy deftly dodged her attack, twisting to the side and spinning to avoid it.

_Damn, she's better than Kuno_. Leaping over another blast of pressurized air he absently noted the cleanly cut stone where the blast had it.

*****

Ibuki watched as the two fighters clashed. Well, it really wasn't a fight. The boy easily danced around the swordswoman's strikes. Despite landing the first hit he hadn't taken the offensive the rest of the fight.

"I think we should give them some privacy," Tsuruko stated as she stood behind the silent ninja girl. "This looks like a personal affair."

_Damn, where the hell did she come from?_ "Ah, sure," she replied as she stood up and turned around. Marching away from a quality fight, Ibuki couldn't help but hope that she'd be able to spar with both of them sometime.

*****

Motoko was flustered. Not only was she fighting completely naked, but her cursed adversary was barely managing to evade her powerful and skillful strikes. He was definitely fast and elusive. "Coward!" she shouted. "Fight me like a man!"

"Just because I'm not stupid or slow enough to take your abuse I'm a coward?! You really do fight like a girl! What kind of idiot willingly takes abuse like that?" _Wait… didn't I do that with Akane and the others?_

Distracted by his internal dialogue, Ranma barely avoided Motoko's attack. Unfortunately for him his shirt wasn't as lucky or durable as he was. "That was my favorite shirt!"

"Who's acting like a girl now Ran-ma?!" the enraged swordswoman shot back. "Crying over a ripped shirt – what a little" _little what?_

"Little what?" the shorter martial artist shouted. "It's pretty obvious that you're just not as quick as me, and I mean both mentally and physically."

Ducking under a powerful horizontal strike he rushed ahead and slipped under her guard. Connecting with a lightning quick chop to her wrist, he disarmed her. A low sweep forced her back as he stood between Motoko and her sword.

"You know what they say about swordsmen," Ranma said as he glanced down at the sword then back at Motoko, "they just like to feel something long and hard in their hands." _Kami, I always wanted to say that to Kuno. _Blinking at Motoko's shocked rage, he reconsidered the line, _Man, that didn't sound as cool when I actually said it_. "Trying to compensate for something are we?"

Just as he expected, Motoko rushed back in. Spotting her feint he took a half step back, selling the fake. Stepping forward he stepped into feint and grabbed her outstretched hand. Rotating his hips he spun around, redirecting Motoko's force and sending them to their side and towards the water. Spinning as they flew in the air, Ranma grabbed a hold of her other wrist. Trapping her hands behind her back he landed on his feet, preventing them from crashing into a rock. Springing into the air he threw her off balance again. Landing with her in his arms and her arms pinned, he looked her in the eyes as she struggled.

"Admit it, you're beat."

Feeling her struggling against him Ranma felt an unfamiliar urge welling up inside of him.

"Is this how you're going to settle your arguments," Motoko growled as she sought to free herself, "by forcing yourself and your opinions on others?"

Breathing heavily he took in her scent. Standing up he released her. Pulling off his ruined shirt he walked off. "Figure out what you are because until you know no one else is going to know how to treat you."

*****

The sound of thunderous gun shots filled the dark night. Though the warrior had already bested the latest challenger to his territory he knew that the loud sounds meant more of his kind were around. Listening to the distant blasts he knew that it was well inside of his territory.

Growling, he chased off the defeated invaders. They could survive on their own with their defeated alpha, but if they lingered in and around his territory he knew that they would soon kill off all of his prey.

With the invaders repelled, the warrior set off to handle the other invading pack. Running hard he quickly made it to the other end of his small territory. Standing atop an empty building he surveyed the scene below.

A large pack, some two dozen strong at least, circled a tall metal structure. The metal was weak, but the electric charge surging through it was strong. Only the tall buildings beside it allowed the Darkseekers a way over the menacing fence. But the pile of dead and injured Darkseekers hinted at the trap the insidious and vicious prey had set for the Darkseekers. Baiting them inside with what appeared to be a way past the fence, the handful of humans would shoot the Darkseekers as they leapt off the building and over the fence. Several had fallen short, colliding with the electric fence after being shot, a few had managed to clear the fence regardless of their injures only to be killed once they landed.

Enraged at the slaughter of the others, even if he didn't belong to their pack, the warrior leapt off the roof. A rage filled roar filled the night air as he landed hard on a metal truck. Ripping off the truck's door he threw it hard at the fence. A bright shower of sparks lit up the clearing as the metal door collided with the electric fence, shorting out the generator and fuses.

Darkness soon returned as the lights died and the shower of sparks ended. Only the reddish glow from the smoldering door provided any light for the humans, just enough for them to see the horde of Darkseekers charging the now useless fence.

*****

The trip back to the Hinata Sou proved to be fairly uneventful. Chatting with each of her new companions Ibuki couldn't help but feel the sexual tension between Ranma and Motoko. Even though she had only known them for less than a day, she could tell something was up with the two of them.

Still, she didn't mind the attention that Ranma was giving her.

"So you grew up in a village of ninja?" he asked as he landed a ten meter jump. Just as quickly he was back in the air, aiming for another rooftop several meters away.

"Yeah," she replied as she took to the air after him. "Not the best way to meet cute guys, but it helps me stay in shape."

She could feel him look her over again. Though she felt a light thrill at the idea of having him look her over, it just didn't feel right. Not with the way Motoko was staring daggers into her back at least.

"Sounds kinda like Naruto," Ranma said offhandedly. "But I can relate; my old man did a lot of crazy shit to make me learn unusual techniques." Trembling slightly he managed to get it under control before he landed on the next roof.

"Yeah, it's pretty bad; look at this horrible outfit that I have to wear. Faded brown and some lame beige – and the bandages…"

"I knew a few ninja," the pigtailed boy stated.

"Oh? Do tell," she prompted, trying to get him to talk more.

*****

Motoko wasn't sure who she hated more – the womanizer Ranma or the stupid valley-girl ninja. Watching as the two chatted it up, she found her hand tightly clenching the hilt of her blade. Springing into the air she swatted away some unidentified bug, cutting it into eight before sheathing her blade.

"Something wrong?" Tsuruko asked as she dropped back so that she was running parallel with her sibling. Seeing that Motoko wasn't willing to talk she simply shook her head. "Ranma would be a great catch, though it seems that regardless of who you choose you may end up having to share him."

Gripping the sheath, Motoko sped up, trying to distance herself from her sister.

"You've lost Urashima to Narusagawa," Tsuruko stated. "Are you simply going to let Ranma or one of the others slip away too or will you claim what you want?"

*****

Ibuki was in heaven - well, as close to it as possible given the circumstances – heaven would have more designer clothes for her. After having witnessed the fall of her village and much of society as well, the lone kunoichi had three gorgeous guys to pick from. Sure, there were several other girls around that might be vying for the hunks' affections, namely Ranma, but Mousse and Ryoga were both great catches in her book. Sure, both were idiots when it came to treating a girl right, but she didn't expect them to take her shopping for the day.

Looking at Ryoga's rock hard muscles it was clear to her that he had a lot of stamina. And Mousse's hair was long and luxurious – if he'd share his secrets with her she'd be in heaven. Oh, maybe she could convince him to wash her hair….

And the hot springs… that looked like a lot of fun…

*****

The hot water felt wonderful to his strained and tired muscles as he sat down in the hot spring. Submerging himself up to his neck the pigtailed boy closed his eyes.

"Even after an apocalyptic virus wiped out most of humanity, you still manage to attract the girls Saotome," Mousse joked as he stepped into the hot water.

Unaware of his own actions Ranma stood up. Wordlessly he walked into the changing room despite the fact that the girls were changing. Ignoring their shouts (and Tsuruko's leering taunts) he dressed. Pulling on his boxers he ducked under Naru's enraged punch as he bent over to pull his boxers up. Standing up straight he failed to register the front kick that flew through the space that his head had been a second before. Half-dressed, he walked out of the room, leaving the enraged girls and the laughing woman behind.

Sighing, Dr. Tofu shook his head. Finishing his bath as he waited for the women to enter the bath, he excused himself. Spreading his senses he located Ranma's fractured ki. True, the young man was just as powerful as he had been weeks ago, but it was clear that his ki was unbalanced. If he'd been a better, more attentive doctor he'd have addressed the issue long ago. Both Ranma and Ryoga were unbalanced, not just mentally, but emotionally. It was more pronounced with Ryoga as he had always lacked Ranma's exceptional control, but if it continued then both boys could prove to be a threat to not only themselves but everyone around them as well.

Following Ranma's ki up to the roof he took a deep, refreshing breath of the cool night air.

"So I hear you started Ryoga and Mousse on a new training regiment," Ranma said as he leaned on the railing. "Ryoga's working over his control and Mousse on his accuracy and learning pressure points."

"Yeah, about that," Dr. Tofu said as he walked over to the railing, "I know your ki is off – so is Ryoga's ki. Considering the revelation that he had the night…"

Ranma nodded, he knew that night. He sometimes dreamed of that night still, and he couldn't help but think about what he could have done differently that night to contain the chaos.

"His ki, like yours, is off because you both had sex," Dr. Tofu stated.

"Wh-what? We didn't have sex with each other!"

Dr. Tofu blinked. "I don't mean that you had sex with each other. But I think that you're avoiding the issue. I assume that if Ryoga and Akane… that you and Ukyo…"

Resting his head against the cool wooden railing the pigtailed boy sighed. "It happened the day that Nabiki died," he admitted.

The two men watched as the sun set in the distance, each one unsure of what they needed to say.

"Did you love her?"

Pushing himself back into a standing position he shook his head.

"How many times?"

Holding up his hand, Ranma tried to count the number of times, finally extending three fingers. "Ryoga loved Akane, and I think she liked him, but I don't know if she loved him."

"That explains why your ki is so off, both of you," Dr. Tofu explained. "Taoist belief is that when a man penetrates a woman he steals some of her ki, and when he ejaculates inside of her he gives her some of his ki. Since both of you were virgins and because you both appear to have done it multiple times with your partners in such a short span of time you threw off your ki mixture.

"Your strongest emotion is your pride which manifests in your ki and Ryoga's is his angst and despair, Akane's appears to be rage and anger."

Ranma chuckled. The chuckle turned into a laugh.

"Apparently Akane was definitely one angry girl," he bawled, doubling over in laughter.

"Yeah," Dr. Tofu chuckled, "she definitely had anger management issues – though honestly I never saw her like that."

Fighting for breath, Ranma stood tall. Taking several deep breaths he looked at the good doctor. "Doc, Akane had the largest crush on you. Long before she even knew I existed she had a crush on you," he explained. "Aside from you and her father she thought all boys/men were perverts."

"Really?" clearly the good doctor was stunned by the news.

"Well, Ryoga was exempt as well; that's probably why she liked him," Ranma amended. "That's probably why she opened up to him and… well, you know…"

"What about you and Ukyo?"

The evening moon peaked out between the clouds, leaving a slight orange glow.

"Ukyo gave up," Ranma stated. "She just gave up on the whole fiancée bit I think, and she just wanted me to treat her like a woman for once. As kids I always thought of her as my best friend – hell, I thought that up until she died…"

Wiping his eyes automatically the pigtailed boy wondered why there were tears in his eyes. He just couldn't control it, the tears kept coming and he couldn't stop it.

"This is so pathetic… I'm so pathetic…" he sobbed. "I… I couldn't save them… Sasuke, mom, pops… Mr. Tendo, Happosai… Kasumi… A-Akane… It's all my fault… I couldn't…"

Blinking back his own tears, Dr. Tofu took a deep breath. "No, you're not the only one at fault. We all failed. We were all weak."

*****

"What are you doing dear sister?" Tsuruko teased as Motoko grabbed her sword.

"I'm going to teach Ranma a lesson," the younger Aoyama growled. "You saw how much disregard he had for us while we were changing. That - pervert - needs to be taught a lesson!"

"And you're going to teach it to him? If I remember correctly he bested you handily," the elder Aoyama stated.

"Ibuki, Kanako," Motoko growled, hating to admit that she needed help, "you're both fighters, I'm sure that the three of us would be capable of putting Saotome back in his place."

Toweling off, the surprisingly muscular kunoichi shook her head. "Nope, I don't feel like getting mixed up in your little lover's quarrel."

Red-faced, Motoko turned her gaze to Keitaro's younger adopted sister.

"I'll make sure you don't hurt yourself," the lithe girl stated as she saw the look that Tsuruko shot her. "It's clear that you can't handle Saotome on your own."

Slipping on a robe similar to Motoko's Kanako followed the taller girl out of the changing room. Marching up the stairs, they heard the two men talking on the roof. Though it wasn't clear what they were saying, it was obvious that they were up there as everyone else was still down on the third floor or in the baths.

" you love her?" they heard the older man ask.

Kanako grabbed Motoko's arm instinctively, stopping the older girl's progress.

Still furious about Ranma's antics, Motoko glared at her companion. Something about the other girl's eyes pleaded with her to stop, stealing some of her thunder and rage. Hearing Ranma's laughter set her off though.

"He's probably laughing about us!" the swordswoman growled.

Dragging Kanako along, she managed to make it only a few steps before they both clearly heard what the two men were talking about.

"Doc, Akane had the largest crush on you. Long before she even knew I existed she had a crush on you. Aside from you and her father she thought all boys/men were perverts."

"Well, Ryoga was exempt as well; that's probably why she liked him," Ranma amended. "That's probably why she opened up to him and… well, you know…"

"What about you and Ukyo?"

Sitting down they gazed at the moon as it hid among the clouds, occasionally peaking out and illuminating the thick cloudy sky.

"Ukyo gave up," Ranma stated. "She just gave up on the whole fiancée bit I think, and she just wanted me to treat her like a woman for once. As kids I always thought of her as my best friend – hell, I thought that up until she died…"

Motoko felt a strange knot in her stomach. Even though she couldn't see him she knew that the egotistical and always confident martial artist was crying. The sound of his sobs were proof that he could display more emotions than just confidence and pride.

"This is so pathetic… I'm so pathetic…" he sobbed. "I… I couldn't save them… Sasuke, mom, pops… Mr. Tendo, Happosai… Kasumi… A-Akane… It's all my fault… I couldn't…"

Motoko blinked back tears. She'd seen the chaos and destruction that had happened that night. Though it was only through the monitors and cameras of the two Mecha Tamas, it had been traumatic enough as it was.

"No, you're not the only one at fault. We all failed. We were all weak."

A warm hand wrapped around hers, gently tugging at her as Kanako urged her to leave. She didn't know where the younger martial artist had led her, then again, every room and the hallway was dark, making it harder for her to recognize the room that they had ended up in.

"Did your sister tell you about how we found Ranma and Ryoga?" Kanako whispered.

"No, why?"

"She didn't tell you about the trail of empty beer cans and liquor bottles that littered Nerima or the fact that they had leveled the entire ward?"

Motoko shook her head. That was news to her.

"Ryoga was so drunk that he didn't realize that Ranma's cursed form had grown a beard."

"You mean he doesn't turn into a bearded girl normally?"

Kanako blinked. "No. From what Ryoga and Mousse have told me Ranma's girl form had nearly as many crazy suitors chasing him as his guy form did."

Motoko closed her eyes, valiantly trying to envision a beardless redhead. Though she was a good writer, she just didn't have what it took to visualize something she wasn't familiar with.

"Anyways," the other girl said, trying to bring the conversation back, "Ranma was drunk off his ass too. I don't know what happened, but it's clear that they haven't grieved for those who died."

_He's still grieving for his parents and his fiancée_, Motoko repeated mentally. Slowly she tried to absorb the emotional impact of what Ranma had endured in the past few days. _No wonder he wants to save as many people as he can_.

*****

A/N

Wow, that chapter became much more powerful than I expected. I think it had something to do with the fact that I was watching the season premire of Grey's Anatomy. They just had to kill O'maly. And the others just laughed at the funeral! I can see Alex doing that because he's an ass most of the time, and Yang because she really wasn't close to George, but Izzie and Grey…. Grr…

I realize that Ranma is, well, not cannon, but seriously, he's grieving. I don't expect him to be okay with what's happened. And throw in the ki bit – thanks TFF, I really have learned something from checking out the LD thread under the Ranma ½ section.

Please, Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	16. Chapter 16

Author's Notes –

No more disclaimers – I posted them on the first ten chapters or so of the fic. I hope you're not that ignorant of ownership issues with this fic if you've been reading it this long.

I feel obligated to state that with the start of the NFL season (Go Packers! Boo Farve – the traitor!), my many fantasy football leagues/teams, the start of the new season for House (I really liked the season premiere) and Grey's Anatomy (which was powerful but blah, I can't believe they killed George…. The spent more time mourning him in the premiere than he did getting any face time all of last season!), and the extra workouts that I need to do to get back in shape (well, I have a shape, just not a good one…), loyal readers shouldn't expect such frequent updates as I've done in the past.

*****

The warm late spring night felt very refreshing despite the oppressive humidity. Though the warrior had participated played a key role in helping the large pack with their hunt, the warrior had not partaken in their feast. Even after besting the alpha, a dogi wearing female, the warrior knew that he would need to find more prey. The others in the large pack had told him of the bountiful prey that they had been reluctant to leave as the prey had learned to hide behind the cursed cool water at night.

Leaving his own territory the warrior went the way that the large pack had come. Perhaps they had been unsuccessful, but that did not mean that he meet the same results.

*****

The dogi wearing alpha sulked. Not only had her pack lost several members, but she had also been bested by the lone warrior. At least the pack had avenged their fallen members and feasted well as seven humans had proven to be a satisfying meal. It would save their hunger for a few nights at least.

*****

Despite the warm, soothing bath he'd taken not too long ago, Dr. Tofu could feel the strain from a long day of working out and practicing with Mousse and Ryoga. Yawning, he blinked back his wiriness as he descended the stairs and headed back down towards the men's shared room.

"Oh," he exclaimed as he spotted the pair of young martial artists waiting at the bottom of the landing, "looking to get some fresh air before bed?"

Standing before the door leading back into the hallway and thus the Hinata Sou, Motoko and Kanako stood on opposite ends of the small landing. "We were just waiting for"

"We were just waiting for you and Saotome-san to finish," Kanako said, cutting Motoko off. "We didn't want to interrupt. If Saotome-san is still up there we'll wait for him to come down, we wouldn't want to intrude."

"Thank you for your consideration," the astute older man said with a warm smile. "Ranma's already headed out so you don't have to wait."

Motoko blinked. "He's gone? We didn't see him come by."

"Oh, of course you wouldn't have," Dr. Tofu replied. "He needed more than just some fresh air so he decided to go out for a run."

"What?!" both girls shouted in disbelief.

"It's dark out," Kanako added.

"And you just let him go?" a perplexed Motoko asked.

Dr. Tofu nodded. "I watched him clear the steps and the defenses easily. If he can manage that than I'm sure he won't have any problem with any Darkseekers. Besides," he turned to Kanako, "didn't you take Ryoga and Mousse to clear out all the Darkseeker lairs?"

*****

Having run away from the city and towards the uninhabited forest, Ranma wasn't sure what to expect. After his emotional discussion with Dr. Tofu the young, unbalanced martial artist needed more than just air. The brisk run had helped a lot. Feeling the cool yet humid air rushing past his face and body as he ran had helped sooth his battered psyche and soul more than he cared to admit.

The swiftly moving clouds soon gave way to the clearing sky, allowing the quarter moon to light up the night. Even the stars shone brightly once the clouds were gone, giving off just enough light for the lone traveler to find his way through sparse woods.

The rustle of broken twigs and disturbed leaves brought him to a sudden stop. Adopting a casual stance he waited for the source of the sound to reveal itself as it took another step towards him. Sudden movement from the bushes prompted him to instinctively leap into an overhanging branch as the white blur jumped into the clearing.

His heart pounding, Ranma relaxed as he spotted the albino rabbit gently hopping along the ground. Another rabbit, this one with grayish brown hair, hopped out onto the trail after it. Watching as the two rabbits sniffed at each other, the pigtailed martial artist sighed.

Slowly, cautiously, he lowered himself into a sitting position as he continued to observe the two rabbits interact as they chased each other around the newly made river bank.

As quick as they had appeared the two bunnies scattered, each running in a different direction as three figures appeared. Each had been a young girl before… now they smaller Darkseekers. The first appeared, startling the two small mammals. The others appeared at opposite sides of the clearing, each attempting to grab the frightened creatures. If not for the rabbits' speed and their ability to quickly change direction the three young Darkseekers would have had a meal.

Though they had failed to capture the rabbits, the fact that they had a nice, tasty morsel hanging in the tree above them quickly became apparent as they each looked up at him. Letting out a deep guttural howl, the tallest and probably strongest of the group stood her ground as the other two quickly scrambled for the trees.

_They're trying to box me in_, Ranma smirked as he jumped to his feet. Gently pushing against the springy branch, he deftly leapt into the air as the first of the two girls reached the branch he had been standing on. Leaping way from the second girl Ranma's natural smile faded as he spotted a taller female only a meter away from his chosen landing spot. _Shit!_

Grabbing a branch he managed to redirect his flight into another tree only to spot a second adult female waiting for him. _Damn! How did I miss them?_

Holding onto the branch he let it snap, reducing the amount of force he had in the jump so that he would land a few meters short of the last female. Forced to land further from the river bank, Ranma landed in a wide clearing. Surrounded by the five female Darkseekers, the pigtailed martial artist stood his ground. _It's only five of them_.

The rustling of the branches told him otherwise as a six Darkseeker, this one an adult male, entered the clearing.

_Crap!_

Slowly the male, clearly the alpha, walked into the small circle. Lunging at the pigtailed boy, the Darkseeker threw a powerful left punch. Leaning to the side Ranma easily dodged the blow, only to be forced on the defensive as the Darkseeker followed up with a very well placed spin kick.

With the smaller but very fast Darkseekers harassing him and keeping him in the circle, Ranma found himself hard pressed. Parrying as the male threw a three hit combo with his left; the young martial artist recognized the skillfully executed move as an advanced technique that only high level martial artists were able to perform.

They're not completely mindless, he thought as he dodged the ensuing barrage of straight right punch, right forearm smash, and left knee strike. _Damn, he's even mixing in odd combos_.

Despite his current predicament, Ranma found himself smiling as he was forced to continue to defend and parry his opponent's blows. Unable to get any offense going with the continued harassment from the five females, Ranma was forced to weather the rain of punches, kicks, and strikes.

_They're working like a well oiled machine here_, the pigtailed boy thought with a wide smile. Hell, even Kuno, Mousse, and Ryoga couldn't do this against me. _They're not letting me out of the circle and every time I try and counter one of them moves in to take advantage of my open defenses_.

Waiting patiently, Ranma began to test the girls' reflexes. _Definitely not shortly, she's got some good if somewhat crude moves_. Dodging her kick he spun around and watched as the two girls closest to her position moved to cover the gape in the circle.

Making his way around the circle Ranma fought the urge to simply shout out taunts. Knowing that it really wouldn't work against opponents who didn't care or in this case didn't know what the hell he was saying, the young heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes knew that his style's greatest weapon had been removed. Combined with the fact that he was being limited to strictly fighting on the ground made Ranma feel almost out of his element – almost. Adrenaline rushed through his body, recharging his lean yet powerful muscles as he tested the reaction time and skills of the female Darkseekers once again.

Dodging the male's uppercut he parried the powerful flying knee as he spun around and threw a spinning back fist into his opponent's ribs. Just as expected the smallest of the females rushed in with a jump-kick aimed at his exposed back. Completing the spin he lashed out with a powerful kick that sent the small female into the taller and meatier of the two adult females. Finishing his spin he connected with the spinning back fist, sending the alpha crashing into the shorter of the two remaining young Darkseekers.

Rushing into the large opening he took a powerful leap, launching himself into the trees and back towards the Hinata Sou. Drawing two kunai as he kicked off the recoiling branch he let loose with the deadly weapons. The sound of two wet impacts and the surprised squeal from his target told him that he'd connected with the sharp weapons.

Twisting in the air he smiled at the alpha male. Perhaps it was a trick of the flickering light, but it looked as though the lone male Darkseeker bowed at him. _Nah must have hit him harder than he could take_. Regardless of the fact that no one pursued him, Ranma took off, just in case the smell of freshly killed boar attracted more Darkseekers to the area.

*****

"I can't believe you just took off in the middle of the night!" Motoko shouted as she rushed into the hanger bay. With the blast doors now closed and the unpurified air expelled from the room, it was now safe for the residents to enter the large room. Then again, safe was a subjective term as Ranma quickly found out.

"No fighting in the hanger bay!" Su's voice shouted over the loudspeaker. Though it was theoretically safe for her to be in there, the energetic inventor had decided that it was too risky. Not because of the possibility of the airborne virus lingering in the wide open spaces, but because she knew how worked up Motoko was over Ranma's midnight misadventures.

"Stupid jerk!" Motoko shouted as she ran at Ranma. Though Su had already warned her about fighting, it wasn't her friend's warning that had stopped her from shouting; it was the many turtle-like mecha that filled the large room.

Seeing that Motoko was wavering (for whatever reason), Ranma smiled politely and took hold of her scabbard as he lead her out of the hanger. Spotting the large (relatively speaking) audience of Naru, Kanako, Tsuruko and Dr. Tofu waiting for them in the hallway Ranma offered a polite bow before releasing the oddly behaving Motoko to their care.

"Tell Motoko that I'm sorry," he said with another polite bow. "She's right, I was out of line; I shouldn't have gone out on my own at night."

*****

The late afternoon sun beat down on the small garden as four young and strong backs labored hard.

"Can't you at least go in a straight line?!" the auburn haired girl shouted as she stood up.

"Sorry," the bandana wearing boy apologized as he looked at his row of plants.

"It's not that bad, Narusagawa," the cat appeared to say.

Three youths turned to the cat, then to the cat's owner.

"Would you knock that off Kanako?" an irritable Naru shouted. "It's bad enough that I have to be around the pervert, but having you talk through your cat is just freaky!"

"Fine," Kanako smiled as she stood at the end of Ryoga's row. "It's not the straightest, but it's not as though his row slowly curves to one side or the other. He's just a few centimeters off with each plant, but it's at least a rough line. You on the other hand have slowly been taking your row to the left, a way from Ryoga and towards Motoko's row."

"That's because I don't want to be around that freaking pervert!" Naru shouted in protest. "Besides, if you haven't noticed my foot is still bandaged!"

"Man, this must be what it feels like to be Ranma," the fanged boy grumbled. After a week of being stuck working with and around the fiery Narusagawa (and accidentally walking in on her while she was changing) he'd been on the receiving end of several of her patented kicks. Though he really wasn't hurt by them (in truth, the kicks probably hurt her more as she'd sprained her ankle and bruised foot).

Kanako chuckled, obviously hearing his off-handed remark.

Mollified, the prim and proper swordswoman shook her head as she went to assist Naru.

"Why don't you switch with me?" Kanako asked as she set Kuro down. "That way you're further away from Narusagawa. I'm sure I can keep an eye on you."

"You really don't have to do that," he blushed. Despite his words, the fanged youth switched duties with the lithe girl.

It didn't take long for Kanako to finish Ryoga's row before they moved onto another set of vegetables.

"How long have you known Saotome?" the lithe girl asked as she watched Kuro climb onto the stone wall that kept their garden safe from the wild animals.

"We went to junior high together," Ryoga said as he filled in the hole around the plant. "But we really didn't know each very well until a few years ago. It wasn't until we both came back to Japan that we started to get more involved in each other's lives."

"I heard that Ranma had a few fiancées."

"Hehe, yeah," scratching his head, Ryoga couldn't help but smile at the memories. "Ranma's got this uncanny knack for attracting trouble. His old man sold him off a few times while they were traveling, promising to marry Ranma off to a restaurant owner's daughter in exchange for some food or in some cases their family business. Not many stuck around after they actually met the grown up Ranma."

Seeing that he was freely talking about things, Kanako smiled warmly. This is going a lot easier than I expected. "What about Ukyo?"

"Oh, she's different. Apparently when Genma, Ranma's old man, ran off with Ranma and her family's business her father removed her from the register as their daughter and listed her as a boy. They raised her as a boy too. Once Ranma and Genma settled in Nerima again she came looking for them; she even beat up Genma pretty badly too. I'm still not sure how he did it, but he won her over, and she began chasing after him just like most of the other girls."

Motoko couldn't help but listen in. Having switched spots with Naru, she was close enough to overhear the loud and brash Ryoga as he spoke of Ranma's affairs. As much as she secretly enjoyed being filled in on the arrogant martial artist's seemingly torrid affairs, the swordswoman couldn't help but wonder where the equally mysterious Kanako fit in. Was she simply using Ranma's best friend to get to him or was she actually just enjoying Ryoga's company? It was hard to tell with the odd ventriloquist.

*****

The afternoon sun shone brightly on the small balcony as Dr. Tofu set aside Su's research notes. Everyone but Su was immune to the airborne strain, just as Su had expected, but no one was immune to the blood-borne virus save Ranma. Only Ryoga and Mousse's cursed forms had proven to be resistant – something he had expected due to the complete change that they underwent though Su was still skeptical.

"I hear that you had the 'talk' with Ranma the other day," the now familiar voice of the elder Aoyama sibling said as the swordswoman strode into the room.

"It's obvious that he needed some talking to," Dr. Tofu explained. "When he's that off balance he's capable of being a greater threat to us all than anyone realizes."

"Emotionally or meta-physically off balance?" she asked as she stood beside him. Leaning on the wood railing, she smiled warmly at him.

"Both," he replied as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes.

"And where do you stand?" she asked as she turned to face him.

The sight of her swelling bosom and ample cleavage told him all he needed to know of her state of dress.

"I'd be a hypocrite if I acted the way you want me to," he stated.

Putting her hand on his waist, she smiled as she brought her face only a few centimeters from his face. "I know," she whispered seductively.

"You're grieving, and so am I," he replied as he licked his lips. "It's too soon, and we barely know each other."

"I know," she repeated. "But we need to set an example for the young ones as well."

Gently sliding her hand around to the front of his gi, she slowly untied it. Inching forward, she brushed his cheek with her lips.

Firmly, he pulled away, "No. I can't… we can't. Not yet…"

The look in her eyes told her all she needed. "Not yet," she conceded, "but soon."

*****

The thick green foliage provided the part of hunters with just enough shade and cover as they scoured the edge of the forest. Thick and lush, the unkempt trees and bushes were full of life as they sheltered the smaller mammals from their larger predators. But to a skillful and trained eye even the forest creatures were not completely safe.

A small rabbit screeched as its side was pierced by the sharp point of a kunai.

"That's another one for me," Mousse shouted as more animals scattered.

"Would you stop shouting?!" Ranma said as he leapt into the air. With his hands full with small ball bearings, the pigtailed boy quickly flicked his thumb, cracking the skulls of two more rabbits. "You're scaring off the other animals!"

"I'm only doing that because I don't want to hit the ferrets," Mousse stated as he walked over to his kill. "We need them around to take care of the rats and snakes."

"Snakes we wouldn't have had to worry about if someone hadn't freed all the animals in that pet shop," Ibuki's voice cried out from the treetops.

Shrugging, Ranma walked over to claim his two kills. "That's two for me, making my total three," he stated as he put the dead animals into his pack. "We should have enough for the week."

Throwing a glance at the nearsighted Amazon boy, Ranma smirked.

"Hey, I got two," Mousse stated as he added his kill to the bag.

"I got four," Ibuki stated as she dropped out of the tree.

Ranma eyed her skeptically.

"Hey, I'm not touching them, snakes are too slimy," she stated as she pointed to her four kills.

"You gotta kill them to make them count," Mousse stated as he adjusted his glasses. "Looks like the snakes are still alive."

"Yeah, otherwise you're cleaning everything," Ranma added. "Those were the terms of the hunt."

Ibuki blanched at the prospect. "Ew…." Glancing at Mousse she playfully cuddled up to him. "Would you please…?"

Blushing, the nearsighted boy pulled out a club and handed it to the ninja.

Smiling, she accepted his gift. Wrapping her hands around the shaft she cracked the heads of the snakes. Grabbing the now dead snakes, she put them into a separate bag. "Ranma, I thought you got four kills there."

Shaking his head, Ranma held up two dazed guinea pigs. "Nah, these I'm not keeping." Tying them up, he put them into his bag. "You know Ryoga would go ape shit if we tried to feed him anything that had 'pig' in its name." Giving Mousse an encouraging smile he added, "You two go ahead. I'm going to get us some fish."

Waiting for the two to head off, Ranma made his way towards the back of the island. In the week since his late night encounter with the small pack of Darkseekers the pigtailed boy had managed to find the pack's lair while scouting the island. The cave cliff was still on the Hinata Sou's land, though given the size of the property it wasn't a surprise. If not for the white lab coat Ranma was sure that he'd have missed it on his first trip out that way.

With the cave facing the west the afternoon sun was able to penetrate past the mouth of the cave. Ten meters past the mouth the cave turned south gradually before opening into a large cavern.

Hearing the growl from the youngest of the Darkseekers, Ranma stopped. He was in their territory, their lair. Though a bit of indirect light still managed to make its way into the cavern Ranma knew that he was at a disadvantage. Setting down his bag he opened it and pulled out the two guinea pigs. Placing the two squealing on the ground he took three steps forward, giving his eyes time to adjust to the darkness.

It didn't take long for the lone male to step forward. Offering him a slight bow, Ranma slipped into his usual stance.

*****

Exhausted but feeling good, very good, Keitaro couldn't help but smile as he helped unload his things from the small sailboat to the larger yacht that Juni had discovered. The luxury yacht had working solar panels (that needed to be cleaned) as well as wind turbines that powered generators. Equipped with working lights, an autopilot feature, working refrigerator and freezer, stove, and three rooms, as well as a weather station and working radio, and a water maker, the slightly battered and used yacht was perfect for their needs. And it was free.

Sighing contently, Keitaro thanked the Kami for his good fortune. Now all he needed was to get back to the Hinata Sou.

*****

"You think Ranma will be alright?" Ibuki asked as she led Mousse back towards the Hinata Sou.

Adjusting his glasses the nearsighted martial artist tried to not focus on the kunoichi's very hypnotizing rear as she leapt through the air. "Yeah," he eked out. "Ranma's a big boy, he can handle himself." _What the hell's wrong with me? I've seen plenty of Amazons naked before…._ He shuddered as he tried to erase the image of the council of elders at the baths… Some things were just too terrible…. _I mean, I've seen plenty of the warriors naked before, yet Ibuki_…

"You're accuracy's amazing," Ibuki stated as she landed in a crouched position, her round rear straining against the loosely stitched dogi that she wore. "I can't hit anything beyond fifteen meters accurately, yet you can nail six or seven things with ease."

_I'd like to nail you…._ "It's not that hard…" he mumbled, _well, actually_….

_Gah! What the hell am I thinking?!_

"So you grew up in a village that pushed your development as a martial artist too, right?" he asked, trying to divert his attention. _Damn, I think I've been hanging out with Ranma too much_.

"Yeah," the kunoichi replied. "It kinda sucked though; look at what I have to wear – such bland colors and no style. Chinese clothes like Ranma's silk shirt look good. And you outfit just rocks!"

*****

Breathing heavily Ranma barely avoided a fierce middle kick. A retaliatory palm strike connected with the Darkseeker's back, sending the taller fighter crashing into the hard stone ground. Fighting for air, Ranma waited for his opponent to get back to his feet.

After nearly an hour of fighting neither fighter had been able to gain the upper hand. Seeing his opponent standing up straight and then bow slightly, Ranma knew that the fight was over. The sound of metal against stone drew his attention to the two kunai he'd used the first time he'd encountered the small pack of Darkseekers. Unwilling to surrender his back, Ranma took a few steps back, stepping over his offering. Returning is opponent's bow he stepped back into the tunnel before heading out to the entrance of the cave.

Climbing up the face of the cliff, he made it up in no time at all.

Back at his fishing-hole Ranma checked his fishing lines. Reeling in two nice sized char, he set them into a small pool of water. Wetting a towel he wiped the dirt and grime from his fight away. After an hour of fishing the pigtailed boy decided to return to the Hinata Sou with six nice sized char.

*****

"So you have the right herbs for tonight?" Ibuki asked as she collected her kunai. Casually inspecting the weapons she decided that she'd need to sharpen several of them as they hadn't gone as deeply into the wooden target as she had hoped.

"Yeah," Mousse replied nervously. _What have I gotten myself into?_

*****

"That's so confusing," Kanako stated as she tried to mentally draw a relationship chart that was supposed to represent Ranma, Ryoga, and the rest of the Nerima crew. "So Kuno lust after Ranma's female form, but hates his true form; Kodachi lusts after the real Ranma but loathes the cursed form;"

"You forgot that Kuno also lusted after Akane," Ryoga interjected.

"And you liked her too," the lithe girl added.

"Yeah…"

"And Shampoo, the Chinese Amazon, wanted to kill female Ranma, but gave boy Ranma a marriage kiss…" Kanako said via Kuro. "So what's his deal with cats?"

Ryoga sputtered. Still not used to the idea of the trickster using ventriloquism to essentially speak through her pet cat, the fanged boy nervously eyed Kuro as it purred under the delicate but pleasant attention that the lithe girl was giving it.

Even after a few days of working with and around her, Ryoga wasn't sure what to make of Kanako and her cat.

*****

The feel of the air rushing through her beard sent an odd chill through her. _Kami, I'm never going to get used to this_, the redhead thought as she cleared the tree line. It really hadn't surprised her that she'd changed into her cursed form as she carried the still flopping char back to the Hinata Sou.

Working his, err, her way past the defenses around the base of the Hinata Sou, she quickly made her way towards the kitchen.

"Hey Mutsumi," greeted the energetic redhead. "I got some leeks and char."

"Oh, hey Ranma," the busty older girl replied. "Are they still alive?"

"Yeah," Ranma replied as she carefully set down the still struggling fish.

"Would you be so kind and put them into the stream," she suggested rather then ask, "we should have plenty of meat for the week with all the rabbits and the snakes that Mousse and Ibuki brought in."

"Hey, some of those rabbits are thanks to me."

The busty girl smiled pleasantly, "I know. I'll have some hot water ready for you once you get back."

_Just like dealing with Kasumi_, the redhead thought as she headed out towards the newly dug moat around the Hinata Sou. With its water pump providing the fish with fresh oxygenated water, the wide but shallow moving water allowed them to keep a good supply of fish on hand, thus reducing their reliance on canned foods and allowing the rabbits and other small animals on in the area to replenish their numbers. Even the rabbits and other small mammals that been freed from the various pet shops were having difficulties keeping their numbers up with the number of now feral dogs and cats roaming the island.

And then there were the snakes. Actually, all the reptiles, lizards and amphibians had thrived as their cold blood failed to satisfy the Darkseekers thirst for blood.

Carefully unwrapping the char from the wet towels, the redhead eyed the pond, the deepest and widest section of the moat where the motor and water pump were housed, and its steadily growing population of char. Not only did the pond provide them with a fresh fish (when they re-stocked it) but it also attracted ducks and other fowl. With Shippu around to ward off large birds of prey, the pond was beginning to actually look natural rather than man made.

Gently releasing the frantic fish into the cool water one at a time, the redhead quickly returned to the kitchen. Dousing herself with some warm water, Ranma instantly changed back into his true form. "Thanks," he said, catching himself as he nearly called the brunette Kasumi. "I'm just going to go practice now."

Shaking his head, Ranma tried to clear his mind of the after-image of the chestnut haired Kasumi, unfortunate matron of the Tendo household, super-imposed over that of Mutsumi. Running up to the makeshift dojo on the roof, the pigtailed boy tried to recall his recent fight. Stripping off his favorite, though somewhat abused, silk shirt, he adopted his opponent's stance.

*****

"Hmmmm," Ibuki purred, "that feels so nice…."

Mousse couldn't help but blush as his skilled fingers massaged Ibuki's scalp. He never expected to be the first male to enter the 'girls'' side of the open air baths. Though they all had officially agreed to keep the baths open to everyone and not mar its appeal with a wall separating the men from the women, there was an unspoken boundary that the boys didn't go past (except when they cleaned).

Watching the odd display dispassionately, Naru couldn't help but sneak glances back at Ranma. Having secretly watched him practice the moves that Seta had taught her, she couldn't help but feel her heart fluttering ever so slightly. Even though she loved, yes, loved Keitaro, she couldn't help but feel a lingering attachment to her former tutor and crush. Projecting her supposedly long forgotten feelings for the older man onto the young, brash pigtailed boy, she couldn't help but think about all that Ryoga had told Kanako.

_He's not a bad guy_, she thought. _At least he's not a pervert like Ryoga!_

Gingerly she stepped out of the pool, tweaking her sprained ankle. "Ow!"

Focused on her discomfort, Naru missed the glance that Tsuruko shot Dr. Tofu.

"Ranma, why don't you help Naru out?" the good doctor suggested.

Like a deer staring into the rapidly approaching headlights, Naru failed to say anything. The sudden feel of Ranma's strong arms lifting her off her feet and carrying her to the bench snapped her out of her dazed state. "Put me down," she shouted, pounding her palms against his rock hard chest.

"Hey, settle down," the pigtailed boy stated as he carried her out of the baths and into the changing room. "I'm not doing this because I like getting hit you know."

Clutching the soaking wet towel (that barely covered her ample bosom and hid her trim auburn patch) Naru fought the urge to simply belt Ranma. Having hit Ryoga three times she knew just how much damage she'd do to herself if she were to hit one of the martial artists from Nerima.

Setting her down, Ranma shook his head. _Maybe all I needed was a skull as hard as Ryoga's, _he mused_. Nah, she'd just have used a dumbbell more often_.

"I've already told Motoko this, but I guess I have to tell you too," he sighed, "I'm a girl half the time, so I've seen myself naked plenty of times; seeing a girl naked isn't going to do anything for me."

Blinking, he immediately regretted saying that.

"So you're gay?" she exclaimed.

"No," he replied. "But having seen my girl form naked I'm not completely enthralled by seeing a girl naked." _Guess I can't use the line that I'm better built_. Finding his eyes tracing Naru's curvy figure, he forced his eyes to remain glued to hers. _Now that I think about it, I haven't been around girls who were better than me…_

"Fine," she huffed. "Could you at least get me a dry towel?"

Taking his eyes off of her, he nodded, stealing a glance at her ample bosom before turning around. Grabbing a pair of towels, he handed one to her. With his bath over, Ranma toweled himself off, ignoring the fact that Naru was stealing glances at his lean, muscular body.

Hearing her hopping around on one leg he turned around, only to see Naru completely naked in all her stunning glory. Instinctually he covered is head, fully anticipating a violent beating. It seemed like an eternity passed. Realizing that she wasn't about to pummel him to death, he opened his eyes and lowered his guard. Hands outstretched, he held up his dry towel to provide them both with some modesty, her for her nakedness and him for his growing erection.

Wrapping the towel around her he quickly pulled up his boxers. Though he was still wet the pigtailed young man knew that some cover was better than none.

"Bring me up to my room," she whispered. "My clothes are wet…"

Nodding, he crouched down and grabbed their clothes before lifting her off her feet. The brief trip up to her room did little to either enhance or break the sexual tension between them. Unsure of what he wanted (and what she wanted) he closed the sliding door behind him as he carried her into her room. The feel of her ample bosom pressed against his chest sent a tingling sensation up and down his body, though particularly through his stiff penis as it rubbed against the wet silk of his boxer. Slowly he set her down so that she was now standing on her one good leg.

With her arms wrapped around him he could feel her breasts crushed against his bare chest. Only the fuzzy towel came between them as his hands dropped down to her firm, shapely buttocks. Feeling her pull away, he gulped as she managed to turn around. Her creamy flesh glowed in the reflected light of the setting sun, revealing her long legs and tone ass.

Deftly she undid the towel, letting it drop into her hand as she slowly pressed her firm buttocks against his stiff cock. Grabbing hold of the towel he began to dry her wet breasts gently. The scent of her freshly washed hair filled his lungs as he took a deep, intoxicating breath.

Hearing her moaning in desire and pleasure, he cupped her breasts as he wrapped his arms around her and guided her over to the desk. Clearing face of the desk he set the towel down before turning her around. Feeling her wrap her bad leg over his hips groaned as he felt her moist womanhood press against his hard shaft. Setting her on the towel he pushed away from her. With his hands on her marvelous breasts he began to knead and massage her fleshy globes.

Her erect nipples begged to be sucked on. Obliging, he leaned forward, delicately kissing first one, then the other erect nipple. With his lips around her nipple he began to nibble and suck, drawing out light gasps of pleasure from the busty girl.

Freeing his cock from his boxers via the slit in the front, he began to rub it against the auburn landing strip between Naru's legs.

"No," she muttered.

Panting, he pulled away from her.

"I can't…" she whispered. "It's too soon…"

Misunderstanding her, he nodded as he reached for her wet lips. Caressing her trembling pussy lips he slowly penetrated her with his finger.

"Please," she gasped, "no…"

Pulling back he finally understood. Grabbing his clothes he dared not look back least he give into his primal urge that demanded he go back there and fuck her brains out (or at least until he came).

*****

The gentle sea breeze felt very refreshing to the young sailor. Despite the crowded confines of the tiny cabin, Keitaro couldn't help but hide a smile. After all, he was sharing the sailboat with three very attractive women. It also helped that he was intimate with one of them and that the other two didn't seem to mind being topless or even naked around him.

"Everything is set captain," Juni said as she saluted him. He couldn't help but note the way her breasts bounced as she stood straight. The strawberry blond simply stood tall, waiting for a response.

Smiling, he nodded. "Thank you Juni; tell Juli that we'll set sail tomorrow for Hawaii. I'd rather set sail when it's light out than over night."

"Aye Captain," Juni replied, snapping off another salute before spinning around and leaving the cabin.

As Juni's footsteps faded Tina slowly emerged. "Looks like we have some free time," she said suggestively. Not waiting for a reply she reached to remove her top.

Stepping, he stopped her with a hungry and passionate kiss. In the week since Juni and Juli had joined them the two lovers had yet to have any intimate time together. As much as Keitaro wanted it, he knew that their time was short. Massaging her large breasts with one hand he skillfully unbuttoned her khaki shorts with the other. Pulling them down just enough, he spun her around. His hands quickly returned to her breasts, massaging and fondling them as he ground his hard cock against her firm ass.

He left a trail of kisses down her neck and shoulder as one hand slowly went further south down to her shaved pussy. Cupping her womanhood he slowly inserted a finger into her moistening slit. It didn't take long for her to warm up to him as his careful ministrations made her more aroused. Sliding in a second finger he began to play with her clit.

Turning her head to kiss him, she lifted one leg up onto the bed, leaving herself open for more than just two fingers.

Taking a deep breath, Keitaro licked his lips as he dropped his shorts down to the floor. Hooking his arms under her ribs he cupped her firm, full breasts as he slid into her from behind.

Unsure how much time they would have together, he began to thrust into her, quickly burying himself inside of her. Short, quick thrusts combined with his skilled fingers and hands on her breasts brought forth gentle moans from the busty blond. Pulling back so that he was completely upright, Keitaro grabbed hold of her hips as he slowly shifted to deeper, more powerful thrusts.

Resting her knee on the mattress, Tina leaned forward so that she drowned her moans into the soft pillow.

Feeling her body trembling as she orgasmed, Keitaro pumped his hips furiously. The sound of his balls, wet with her juices, colliding with her wet lips, filled the cabin. Panting, he gasped for breath as he finally shot his load into her.

Content but not entirely satisfied, he waited until he was spent to pull out of her.

Up on the deck Juni glanced at Juli. "Are they training?" the strawberry blond asked her brunette companion.

"In a matter of speaking," the brunette doll replied, "they are exercising…."

"Oh, they are making the most of the tight confines of the cabin to exercise; perhaps we should also exercise with them."

"No, that sort of exercise is best for non-fighters," Juni explained with her best straight face. "If you wish to… exercise like that than I suggest you find a suitable… partner to exercise with."

Strawberry blond hair bobbed as Juni nodded her comprehension. "So it is acceptable for the Captain and Tina to partner up because they are of a similar skill level?"

"Yes," Juli replied sharply. "It would be a waste of our time to partner with him unless he can meet his full potential. For now he needs to train with a partner more of his level."

*****

The evening dinners together had gone very well since being implemented. Not only did it allow all of the residents of the Hinata Sou to interact with each other, but it allowed them all a time to unwind together as well. With all the television stations down there was little use for the many large flat screen TV's that the martial artists had gathered. True, they could (and were) used as parts for Su's various mechanical and technological inventions, but they rarely were used the way they were intended to be used.

For his part, Ranma normally didn't care much for dinner. Despite the fact that he'd learned to not wolf down his meals while at the Kuno Compound, Ranma still couldn't help the fact that he often finished his first plate before anyone else managed to even grab anything. After a week of the assembled meals with everyone, it had been agreed upon that the pigtailed vortex known as Ranma would have to wait until everyone else had taken something from each of the dishes or acknowledged that they were not eating that dish.

Waiting for Mousse to cut off some part of the rabbits that they were eating, the pigtailed boy couldn't help but tap his plate in annoyance.

"Sorry Saotome-san," Ibuki apologized as she helped Mousse with the dish. Setting the dish down she nodded at Tsuruko, signaling to the older woman that it was okay for Ranma to start stuffing his face.

With a smirk on her lips, the swordswoman nodded at Ranma.

Rather than attacking the dishes with his usual gusto, the pigtailed boy simply eyed a few plates.

"I can't believe how good this feels," Ibuki purred as she ran her fingers through her long, dark hair.

"That's just after the first treatment," Mousse stated as he absently cut into the slice of meat before him. "Just wait another month and tell me how it feels then – washing it twice a week for a month is going to make it stronger, more vibrant, and full of volume…"

"You did tell her the side effect, right?" Ranma added. Sitting beside Mousse and across from Kanako, he appeared to be toying with his food, an unusual sight considering that his hands usually were a blur of motion as he stuffed his face.

"What side effects?" Ibuki asked as she glanced at Ranma.

"It could turn your hair a different color…." Mousse replied glumly.

"Oooh," the kunoichi squealed. "What color?"

The three young men each glanced at each other, not sure what to make of the ninja's reaction.

"I've seen violet, sea-foam green, and teal I think," Ranma stated.

"Oooh," Ibuki squealed in delight. "How about pink?"

Ranma and Ryoga quickly face faulted, barely avoiding crashing into the table as they fell. Standing up quickly the glanced at each other – Sakura….

Tsuruko smiled, then pointedly glanced at Dr. Tofu. It didn't take a master martial artist to realize that something was off for the resident pigtailed martial artist. It did take someone who understood basic psychology to realize that it had something to do with one of the girls. Sitting back she scanned the backs of all the girls looking for any tell-tale signs of distress from any one of them. _Narusagawa? That's a surprise…. Perhaps he does have something that makes him irresistible to girls his age_…

Watching the rest of the meal, the swordswoman waited for the youngsters to disperse, either to do dishes, secure the grounds, or to return to Su's shop. "Mutsumi," she said, calling out to the oldest of the girls.

"Yes?" the buxom brunette replied.

"How are things with Dr. Tofu?"

"They're going well I guess," the busty girl replied. "And you?"

"Not too bad myself," she answered with a smile. "But I've been re-thinking my position."

"And which position would you be thinking of?" Mutsumi smiled. If not for the nearly motherly aura that she exuded the swordswoman was sure that there were multiple ways to take that statement.

"Simple biology actually; it might be best if we women were willing to share the men."

Mutsumi nodded.

Slowly the pair walked through the Hinata Sou as they hunted down their prey together. "There are more women than men, and considering that women are more valuable than men in re-establishing humanity, well, it would be prudent for us to be able to share them as necessary."

"I agree," the brunette stated. "I've been considering things since Ibuki arrived. If we were simply to pair off then at least one of the girls would have been left out of the mix, but with her here there would be more left out. Besides, even if things had worked out before, it might mean that more than a few of us would have to settle for leftovers. I'm not sure that Mousse and Ryoga care much for getting Ranma's overflow."

*****

The orange glow of the setting sun filled the tiny room that Dr. Tofu had claimed for himself. With the growing number of residents (and Naru's injuries) it had become necessary for him to not only convert one of the rooms into a clinic, but for him to stay next to it. With Ranma forced to room with Ryoga (to keep him from getting lost) and Mousse, the trio of young fighters had surprisingly managed to not kill each other (or destroy the dormitory).

Given Su's inability to deal with the airborne virus each of the balconies had windows installed and the doors had been reinforced so as to create an airtight seal so that the air filters could purify the air. Only the upper deck on the roof allowed the residents to freely enjoy the warm summer breeze as the sun set. Still the setting sun (or even the rising sun) always made for a beautiful scene.

Only the sound of his door close alerted the martial artist turned doctor to the fact that he had company.

"I was expecting you," he smiled. "Dark chocolate cake, roast rabbit with in a ginseng and saffron sauce; not very subtle, are you Mutsumi?"

Dumbfounded by the sight of the voluptuous Mutsumi and the seductive Tsuruko, the good doctor simply stood there, mouth agape as the two women walked over to him.

"I, um…" he managed to say as they each took a hand. The feel of Tsuruko's sensual lips enveloping his finger as she slowly sucked on it sent an unexpected thrill up and down his spine, finally ending in his growing cock.

Gently led to the futon by Mutsumi he simply lost the power and will to resist the tempting duo. Pulling Mutsumi to him he kissed her gently, gingerly, unsure of how to contain the building passion and desire inside of him.

Pushed down to the futon he felt Tsuruko's firm hand pulling off his pants and briefs as she began to suck on another finger. With his hand literally full with Mutsumi, Dr. Tofu lay back on the futon, his hungry kisses rarely pulling away from the younger woman's as they slowly stripped.

Much more experienced than her younger companions, Tsuruko nimbly stripped Mutsumi of her pants and panties with one hand. Feeling the brunette's firm, warm thighs the swordswoman moved her hand further north until she felt the course brown hairs. Stimulating both of her lovers with her hands, Tsuruko began to nibble on the doctor's fingers, drawing a light groan of pleasure from him. Sensing that they were ready, she pulled away, allowing the pair to embrace each other as she shed her clothes.

Licking her lips she watched as Ono Tofu rolled Mutsumi onto her back. Spreading her wide he gently inserted his hardened muscle into her wet slit. The brunette gasped as she took the head of his penis and with each gentle thrust, taking more and more of him each time.

Laying down beside the brunette Tsuruko began to massage Mutsumi's large breasts while teasing the aching nipples with her lips. Even as she enjoyed getting the busty young woman worked up the swordswoman began to finger herself, getting herself ready for her turn with the doctor.

Buried to the hilt, Ono Tofu paused, savoring the feel of Mutsumi's womanhood enveloping his manhood. Placing his hands on her large breasts, he began to thrust hard into her, eliciting louder moans from her until finally she let out a long, painful yet satisfying scream. The feel of her contracting and trembling, wet, hot, muscles wrapped around his sent him over the edge. Shooting his load into her he rested on all fours.

Ono wasn't sure how long he remained inside of Mutsumi, only that when he finally pulled out of her Tsuruko was all over him. Pushed onto his back he simply lay still as the swordswoman handled his modest sword in her skilled hands. The feel of her hot, coarse tongue on his slick and limp member soon had him standing at attention again.

With him ready for more Tsuruko stood up and stepped over him. Lowering herself into a kneeling position she guided him into her hot, moist slit. Gasping as she took him into her she quickly impaled herself on him, taking all of him in one swift motion.

Slowly, Mutsumi got to her elbows and knees, crawling over to the Ono and kissing him passionately. Only the feel of Tsuruko's strong hands on her hips diverted her path as the older woman positioned her directly before her. With her dangling breasts mere centimeters from the good doctor's face she remained on all fours as Tsuruko began to spank her finely shaped rear. The feel of the older woman hands and nails on her ass and the doctor's attentive lips on her nipples was nice, but she knew she wanted more.

*****

"You're sure this is going to work?" Mousse asked Ibuki as the two tried to set up a large screen TV in the new third floor common room.

Bored with simply sitting in their rooms at night the nearsighted young martial artist and the fashionable kunoichi knew that they needed something else to do. Fortunately for the pair they had managed to find a working DVD player and a large library of DVDs in an abandoned video store. Using Mousse's stuff-space technique the pair had brought back most of the large library back with the intention of setting up a home entertainment center for everyone to enjoy together.

"Can we put this down?" Ryoga grumbled as he and Ranma held up the large flatscreen TV. "This thing is large enough that we could probably just put it on the floor."

"Yeah, but Kuro might make a mess of things," Ibuki stated as she looked over the manual again. "I think we put the frame here and then the TV goes here."

"Um, I think we'll need to set this up when we've got more light," Mousse suggested. "We should have Su set it up since she's the techno wizard."

"I…" catching sight of Kuro, Ranma quickly shut up.

"Ranma agrees," Ryoga translated.

"Sorry," Kanako replied as she set the cat down.

Offended, the black cat meowed before scampering off towards Kanako's room.

With Kuro gone, Ranma and Ryoga set the large TV down. "Do you hear that?"

Craning his head, Ryoga walked towards the wall. "Yeah… what is it?"

The pigtailed boy and the bandana wearing boy both put their ears to the paper thin wall. Suddenly they both stood up.

"Is that....?" Ryoga asked.

"Kami… that's gotta be…" Ranma replied.

"What's going on?" Naru asked as she hobbled over to the two young men.

"Nothing!" Ranma shouted as he bolted away from the auburn haired girl. "I'm going… somewhere."

In a flash the pigtailed boy vanished.

"What the hell is going on?" Motoko shouted, only to be shushed by Mousse and Ibuki.

The kunoichi's eyes grew wide as she realized just what she was listening too. Blushing, the young kunoichi wished for once that she had the deep or scarf to hid her face. "Nothing," she finally managed to say before fleeing the room.

"Yeah, nothing," Mousse seconded as he followed her out.

Hobbling over to the wall Naru pressed her ear against the wall just as a loud scream filled the third floor. Said scream quickly ended any and all speculation of what they were listening too.

"Even the doctor's a pervert…." Naru grumbled as she reflexively clenched her fist.

"I wonder who he's with…." Kanako mumbled as a note pad mysteriously appeared in her hands.

The young swordswoman blushed as she heard the doctor letting out a deep moan of pleasure. A third groan escaped the makeshift clinic and filtered into the common room. "Sister?!" Dropping to her knees she simply sat on the ground as a renewed symphony of moans, groans, and gasps filled the room as the three lovers allowed the sounds of their passion to echo throughout the Hinata Sou.

*****

A/N

Yes, another long chapter.

Please read and review.

Dreamingfox


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Notes -

Yes, the last chapter was kinda long. I just didn't know where to end it. Expect things to get more complicated for everyone.

Ranma hasn't let on that he knows of the small pack of Darkseekers, but then again, neither has Su.

Anyways, here's the new one.

*****

The clear skies and warm summer sun warmed the young man's skin as he lay beside the wide stream. The sound of the running water and the occasional char as it jumped out of the water also helped soothe the young man as he napped. Exhausted, he was glad to finally get some sleep. Tensions had been high all night as the sounds from the clinic had lasted well past midnight, making it impossible for the others to sleep. It didn't help that everyone at the Hinata Sou was of an age where those types of relationships were acceptable and even normal. And given their current circumstances those relations were encouraged even.

"Not that I don't like having this moat around the Hinata Sou," one of the young man's companions said, breaking the serine scene, "but why did you insist that we dig this moat again?"

"Just in case you guys missed some Darkseekers," the young man's second companion stated. "And in case some of them ever manage to get onto the island."

"Oh," the first companion replied. "That makes sense."

Clearly their thoughts were not all on the same subject.

"Hey Mousse," the first companion said, "What's up with you and Ibuki?"

Or not.

"N-nothing's up," the long haired young man replied. "Why would you think that there's anything going on between us?"

"What I don't understand is that only a few weeks ago you were all about Shampoo," Ranma pitched in. "But now you're with Ibuki. Not that it's a bad thing though. She's a good fighter, probably even better than Shampoo. She's also good with thrown weapons, but is a close combat specialist."

"And she's not all over Ranma," Ryoga added. "Doesn't have the same curves either, but she's not bad in the looks department."

"Well what about you and Naru?" Mousse countered, hoping desperately to deflect the current line of thought away from him.

"She's crazy," Ryoga replied. "I think I finally understand why you weren't all head over heals over Akane, Ranma. Sure, Naru doesn't hit as hard as Akane, but she's got a similar temperament. I mean, I've seen Akane literally launch you with some of her hits, but Naru's not that focused."

"Kinda like Akane-light," Ranma replied.

The other boys lifted their heads off the ground enough to glance at him.

"You know, beer," he explained. "Akane's full flavor and Naru's the lighter version of Akane."

The other boys nodded, finally understanding the reference.

"Speaking of beers," the pigtailed boy rolled over and pulled a net up revealing a dozen cans. Grabbing two he rolled tossed them to his companions before pulling one out for himself.

"Where'd you get those?" Mousse asked as he sat up to open his.

"I found them when you and Ibuki were scouring the movie rental place," Ranma lied. In truth he'd been holding onto them since returning from Mahora.

"Anyways, I don't think any of the girls here is tough enough for Ryoga," the pigtailed boy said, drawing them back to their original topic. "It'd be like that movie 'My Super Ex-girlfriend' only the other way around."

"I haven't seen that one," the long haired boy stated.

"Me either," the bandana wearing boy added as he cracked his beer open.

"If Su can set up the TV we'll have to watch it." Cracking open his beer, Ranma took a deep, refreshing drink. "It's an American movie so it's dubbed and subtitled. I think we should watch the subtitled version, it's more accurate."

"What's it about?" Ryoga asked before draining his can.

"Essentially the girl's a super hero – think Supergirl mixed with some lame supermodel wannabe. Some dude gets luck and starts dating her Clark Kent side only to find out that she's Supergirl or whatever. He dumps her because she's psycho and then she goes psycho on him," the pigtailed martial artist explained. "Moral of the story is that she's to freakishly strong and nearly breaks him during sex."

"When the hell did you have time to watch that?" Ryoga asked, crushing his can.

"It was the only thing I could do last night, what with everything going on in the clinic. I just found a portable DVD player and grabbed some movies from the stash Mousse and Ibuki brought back." Crushing his own empty can Ranma set it aside. One should be enough for now. "Hmmm, it just doesn't have the same ring to it…"

"What doesn't?" Mousse replied as he nursed his beer.

"Mousse and Ibuki," Ranma replied. "Doesn't flow together like Mousse and Shampoo."

"That's because they're hair care products," Ryoga joked. "They go hand in hand..."

Tossing his empty and crushed can at his friendly rival, Ranma silenced him. "Look, I know what it's like to lose someone you care about; we both do. But we gotta move on. If we really are serious about surviving than we're going to have to get attached to these girls and… you know…."

"You make it sound like it's our duty," Ryoga sighed.

"Maybe not yours since you'll break them," Ranma snickered.

Taking a big gulp, Mousse slammed the rest of his beer. "Since you're a girl half the time, does that mean that you're going to have to endure it as well?"

"What?!" Jumping to his feet Ranma glared at his companions.

"If you're saying that it's our duty as survivors to repopulate the world and restore humanity, wouldn't you, as a part-time female, have to set aside your ego and… you know…."

A cold tremor ran down the pigtailed martial artist's spine. "There's now way no how that I'm letting either one of you two to… you know…."

"But you said yourself that Ryoga would probably break any of the girls," Mousse countered. "You girl form is probably the only, well, girl, that could handle him."

Ryoga shuddered. "Me and Ranma?! That's insane!"

"Okay, no more beer for you Mousse," Ranma stated. "That's…. it's just wrong!"

"He's right you know," the cool, yet reassuring voice stated. Walking down the slight slope towards the three young men, Dr. Ono Tofu (no longer a virgin) walked confidently towards them. "We'll need more women than men if we want to restore humanity."

Glaring at the doctor, Ranma held firm. "If it comes to that doc, I'm running. I'm not a baby machine. If you're really desperate for one, than go to Jusenkyo and do what the Musk did. There are plenty of springs of drowned girls there – the one that I fell into, the ones that the Musk used, the one that Akane was drowned in. Hell, there are even springs of drowned men; we can add more men to the gene pool by throwing some animals into those pools."

*****

"I can't believe you did that!" Motoko shouted at her sister. "Such behavior is… it's inappropriate!"

The elder Aoyama daughter simply nodded. Regardless of how necessary it was it may have been a bit much. Especially considering that the sight of her kissing her fiancé had somehow triggered the younger Aoyama swordswoman's fear of turtles.

"While I admit that it may have been a bit excessive," Tsuruko said with her head slightly bowed, "it was not unnecessary. I'm sure that you all understand the situation that we are currently in; not only us but the entire world. The old standards do not apply if we are to repopulate the world and allow humanity to continue.

"Besides, it's not as though anything was forced upon us. I'm sure that Ono and Mutsumi both enjoyed themselves as much as I did."

The younger swordswoman blushed as her sister's face rose up as her eyes sought out her own. Unable to meet her sister's gaze she looked down at the floor. "It's not right."

"Normally I would agree with you," Tsuruko conceded. "Normally I would have shown my late husband the proper respect and grieved for him before even considering being with another man. But these are far from normal times."

"But disregarding what we, as the last remnants of society, have accomplish makes us little better than the beasts in the field," Motoko countered. Standing straight she looked her sister in the eyes. "Even if we are to try and 'repopulate' the world, who is to say that our children won't be affected by the virus? Who's to say that the newborns won't turn soon after their birth? I know that Su is currently capable of living locked inside of the Hinata Sou and her mecha, but for how long? Would you condemn others to similar prisons?"

"Things will not remain as they currently are," the taller woman stated. "We were merely setting an example for the rest of you."

"And what example is that?" Naru shouted. With the two sisters arguing, it hadn't taken long for the rest of the female residents of the Hinata Sou (sans Su who was in theory too young to be indulging in such adult activities) to find and listen in on the discussion.

"That you shouldn't be competing for the affections of the few young men here at the Hinata Sou," Tsuruko said with a warm smile. "And that you should not let your opportunities for happiness slip by."

*****

The gloomily dark sky and thick gray clouds ominously reflected the dark mood of the current residents of the Hinata Sou. Gone was the odd sexual tension that filled the dormitory as well as the bright sun and cloudless sky. Gone was one Ranma Saotome.

"Where the hell did he go?" Mousse shouted. "We need him to help prepare the Hinata Sou for the storm."

"I think it was the, um, talk he had with Dr. Tofu," Ryoga shrugged as he slid in a Plexiglas panel over the old glass window. "He's right you know – imagine if you had to… breed with ducks to keep up our stock of fowl. I know I'd hate to be forced to breed with pigs."

"Yeah, I know," Mousse replied. "But what the hell is he doing running off right as a storm is approaching?"

"He doesn't want us to follow him," the fanged boy answered. "Think about it – if it rains we're useless in bringing him back. We're probably the only ones who could fight him on equal terms. Motoko, Ibuki, and Kanako are maybe about as good as Ukyo, Shampoo, and Kodachi, but even the three of them couldn't push him like we did. Even in his cursed form he's better than they are combined. Not that I expect him to actually have to fight them – he's much to fast and strong. I doubt that they'll catch up to him unless he wants them to."

*****

"Saotome you bastard!" Motoko growled as she clutched her sword. "I'm going to make you a eunuch!"

Leaping from roof to roof the heir to the Shinmeiryuu trailed after Ibuki and Kanako as the three young women chased after the rogue heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts.

"Screaming isn't going to help," Kanako advised as she launched herself into the air. "It's just going to make you run out of breath."

Growling, she nodded as she landed on a building. Running to the end of the roof she launched herself towards the next rooftop. "You're sure he's going this way?"

The kunoichi nodded. "He's leaving an obvious trail," she explained. Pointing to several noticeable broken clay shingles she flew threw the air. "He's not even bothering to hide his trail. The only problem is when he takes a big jump and changes his direction ever so slightly."

Unlike the three female martial artists who would run along the roof top then leap to the next building, Ranma was literally jumping from roof to roof, sometimes clearing several buildings before landing. If not for the fact that he still wore the GPS unit that Su had made everyone wear (or at least wear some version of it) the young kunoichi would have missed the obvious signs of his passing. His actual path didn't matter so long as she knew where he was or going. It had become obvious to her that he was going back to Mahora. Not only was he taking the same trail, but he was taking the most direct one as well.

What did concern her was the fact that only the three of them had been sent to bring him back. She couldn't fault him for not wanting to be, well, a baby factory. Hell, she didn't want to be one. But for him to act out in such a childish and immature way was… was what exactly? If he didn't want to stay than he had a right to go, right?

The feel of the first cold, hard rain drops startled the kunoichi, bringing her out of her thoughts and back to the reality of her situation. "We better hurry; we might lose his trail in the rain."

*****

The warm water from the underground reserves felt very soothing. Even though he was used exerting himself physically the pigtailed boy had to admit that the spirited return trip to Library Island had pushed even him. Then again, he had run hard, very hard, in a vain attempt to beat the storm. Fortunately the warm water allowed him to change back rather than being stuck as a bearded girl.

A strange tingling sensation ran through his mind. Looking up he caught the slightest glimpse of a robe in one of the many overhead tunnels. Someone else was here. That same someone was probably controlling the gynoids.

Aching muscles protested, sending small jolts of pain to his mind as he rushed after the fleeing robed figure. Confident that he'd found the right tunnel, he quickly descended.

Uneven, rocky ground soon gave way to finely cut stone platforms then into stairs as the tunnel led further down. The feel of an odd ki… no, magical energy lingered in the tunnel, probably from the robed figure that he was chasing, filled the tight tunnel. Finally the tunnel opened into a large, well lit cavern.

"Wooh," the pigtailed boy exclaimed as he skidded to a stop. The giant black scaled lizard with huge leathery wings would make almost everyone pause if not turn them around outright. Giving the cavern a good once over, Ranma quickly formulated his strategy.

Though the dragon eyed the young man curiously, it simply did not have the desire to do, well, anything. Glancing at the fighter it yawned before laying down for a nap.

With no apparent need to fight the gigantic beast, Ranma quickly ran through the huge opening the dragon was supposed to guard. Following the feel of the magic Ranma once again began to run down the tunnel cautiously so as not to stumble upon any more surprises.

*****

The cold, hard rain and the powerful gusts of wind left the three girls soaked to the skin. Even though they were running hard, the trio of young women was shivering. Though they were now out of the pouring rain each of them was feeling slightly miserable.

"He's definitely down here," Ibuki stated as she crouched down. "Looks like he just ran over the ledge; probably jumped down. He really did get pushed too far."

Looking over the edge, Motoko couldn't help but wonder if she'd have taken that path as well. It was one thing for her sister to tell her that she was obligated to her family to marry a strong man and run the Shinmeiryuu, but it was another for her to be told that she needed to essentially produce lots of healthy babies. What about love and mutual attraction? Where those ideas thrown completely out just because they needed to repopulate the world? Surely there were other survivors, just not in and around Tokyo.

"So, what do we do?" Kanako asked as she stripped off her wet shirt. Twisting it around her wrist and arm she forced out much of the excess water. "Jumping is just plain suicidal, but running down it is going to tire us and slow down our pursuit."

"We play it safe," Ibuki replied. "We're obviously not as tough as Ranma, and he's a master of aerial combat so he probably found a way down without getting hurt."

*****

Albireo Imma couldn't help but smile as he watched the rapid progress of the mysterious raven haired martial artist. Not only had the dragon let the boy past without even considering to fight, but the boy had easily avoided the many traps that lined the corridor. As a fighter the boy was unrivaled – even Rakan would have been forced to blow a few walls down. Then again Rakan lacked the pure speed that the young fighter had, though he more than made up for it with power. _That would be an interesting fight… in five years at least…_.

Sipping his tea, the mage waited for his guest to arrive. The sound of footsteps in the corridor announced Ranma's imminent appearance. "I've been waiting for you Ranma Saotome," the mage stated as he set his tea down. "Although honestly, I was hoping that Tsuruko would be here instead of you."

"You're the guy she was meeting with last time I was here," Ranma stated.

"I'm impressed, I hadn't thought that you'd seen me," the robed mage smiled. "I assume that you're here to find a cure."

Ranma blinked, "Um, actually I just came here because I figured that this would be a great place to get away from the Hinata Sou."

It was Albireo's turn to blink as the mage processed everything that the young martial artist had said. "Really?" Seeing the seriousness in his guest's eyes he nodded. "Why don't you sit down and tell me all about it."

*****

The sudden and powerful storm refused to allow anyone in the Hinata Sou to rest peacefully as the heavy rains pounded the roof and walls of the dormitory and the loud, booming thunder filled the area. Bright flashes of lightning lit up the night sky, illuminating the night as the already tense residents contemplated their situation.

"You really think they'd make Ranma…." Mousse began to say only to be interrupted by the loud booming thunder, "you know?" Waiting eagerly for Ryoga to deal the cards, the long haired martial artist sat across from his remaining roommate. Unable to sleep, the pair had decided to play cards to pass the time.

"Yeah," the fanged boy replied as another flash of lightning illuminated their room. Spreading the cards across the tabletop he mixed them up then forced them all together into one messed up stack. Silenced by the thunder, Ryoga waited for it to recede before saying anything else, "but I don't think Ranma is going to stand for it. He's already run for it and I doubt that forcing him to come back is going to make the situation any better." Dealing out the cards Ryoga fixed his small stack.

"That means more girls for us," Mousse sighed.

"Yeah, too bad none of them have purple hair," Ryoga mumbled as he eyed his cards in the dim light. Only the flash of more lightning allowed him to see his cards better. Sorting out the pairs, he set them down on the table.

"Too bad you can't handle them without breaking them," Mousse shot back. Sorting his cards, he set down several pairs. "Why are we playing Old Maid again?"

"Because I can't trust you to not switch cards," Ryoga replied. "I don't know how many decks you might have up your sleeves. And it's harder to cheat playing Old Maid."

"I don't know about that," Mousse shot back as he gently nudged the old maid so that it stuck out ever so slightly. "You remember the stories of the Gambling King and how Ukyo allowed Ranma to wager her restaurant."

"I'm not stupid," the bandana wearing boy said as he pulled out the old maid. "Damn…." Mixing up his cards he returned the favor though he pulled down the old maid ever so slightly compared to her two neighboring cards. Just as expected Mousse plucked the old maid back.

An odd sensation ran through Mousse's neck as he sorted his cards. Setting down his cards he looked away. "Did you feel that?"

Ryoga nodded, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end as he set his cards down as well.

Their card game forgotten the pair of martial artists rushed out of their room towards the makeshift common room/lounge. An odd light seemed to fill the room as flickering shadows were displayed on the paper thin walls and sliding door. The sound of footsteps from the other wing told them that some of the remaining girls had also sensed the odd energy. Spotting Dr. Tofu and Tsuruko, the only other high level fighters, as they reached the intersection between the two wings, the two young men rushed to the sliding door.

The odd light slowly faded, revealing three figures.

"Ibuki?" Mousse exclaimed, not sure that he was actually seeing things clearly despite the fact that he actually had his glasses on.

"Motoko, what are you doing here?" Tsuruko asked as she took a step towards her younger sibling.

Kuro the black cat quickly scampered to her master before jumping up into the girl's arms. "He sent us back," she said, still uncertain of what exactly happened.

"Ranma did this?" Ryoga asked, still dumbfounded by their sudden appearance.

"No," Motoko replied, "Albireo, the mage beneath Library Island."

"That place where the other Shinmeiryuu were supposed to be?" Mousse asked as he slowly tried to piece things together.

Motoko nodded. "He said that Ranma as requested sanctuary," she said as she held out her hand, revealing Su's GPS tracking unit that the scientific genius had given the pigtailed boy. "Ranma's not coming back."

*****

The smell of sea salt and the warm, tropic sun made the beach feel very inviting. Palm trees peppered the beach, providing little shade or cover from the burning orb in the sky. Still, the tropic paradise was just what the young man had imagined.

"Wow," he exclaimed, "I never imagined that Hawaii would be this beautiful."

"This is just what we needed," Tina grinned as she eyed the beach.

"Yes," Juli stated, "we can replenish our dwindling supply of fruits vegetables. If we are fortunate we may even find some small game to bring back to the boat."

"We could also check the harbor to see if there is a larger ship to accommodate all of us," Juni added.

Keitaro chuckled. Even after two weeks of being confined on the tiny sailboat with Juli and Juni, he barely knew anything about them. Aside from the obvious fact that they were former military and excellent fighters as well as trained to use almost any weapon, the two older women had said little the entire trip.

"Why don't you two check the beach and make sure that it's secure?" Tina suggested as she checked the anchor to make sure that it was secure. "You're both excellent swimmers and fighters…"

"That would be the best course of action," Juni confirmed. "We should easily be able to handle any possible threats that we might encounter."

"Why don't you bring one of the guns at least?" Keitaro suggested. Though he was far from being the most athletic person in their group, the be-speckled young man couldn't help but feel a bit guilty at having the others putting their lives and safety on the line.

"No," Juli stated flatly. "None of the firearms would survive the swim."

Seeing the look of concern on the soft male's face, Juni shook her head slightly. "Perhaps we'll bring the harpoon gun. Though we are less than fifty meters from shore it is possible that sharks are swimming around. Keitaro, you will provide Overwatch as we swim to shore."

Nodding, Keitaro grabbed the rifle on his way up to the roof of the cabin.

With the young man out of the way the two dolls quickly stripped off their familiar one piece suits. Selecting suitable swimwear (a tight red and white bikini and thong for Juli and a green and grey camouflage patterned bikini for Juni), the two quickly leapt over the side railing. The two quickly covered the forty some meter distance without any incident. Reaching the shore, Juni turned back to wave at Keitaro, giving him the all clear sign.

Relieved that they didn't need his assistance, Keitaro hopped off of the hot roof and returned to the cabin.

"Keitaro," Tina said seductively as the gun-toting young man entered the dark cabin, his shadowy silhouette standing in the entrance. Lying in the bed she looked up at him.

Keitaro licked his lips, "Yes?"

"You know you want this," she teased as she removed the blanket, revealing her bare, creamy white flesh.

Standing at attention Keitaro nodded. Setting the rifle in its proper place he quickly joined his lover in bed. After a few weeks with no privacy the two had been forced to go without any intimacy on the tiny sailboat. With their companions on the beach they were finally able to get some time alone.

*****

A/N

I think I'll just leave things where they're at for now. I don't want another long ass chapter like the last one.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	18. Chapter 18

Author's Notes –

No more disclaimers – I posted them on the first ten chapters or so of the fic. I hope you're not that ignorant of ownership issues with this fic if you've been reading it this long.

Yes, Ranma running away is odd, but consider that he's feeling very antsy around the girls and doesn't know if he can control himself. Ryoga's gonna get there too, but he's not as close to any of the girls right now as Ranma is.

Also, the issue with Ranko being pregnant and then being splashed with warm water is unproven, but I seriously doubt that Ranma would endure unless he really fell head over heels for someone. I've seen it done, but I won't be going that route with this fic.

Oh, and while this fic takes place in the Street Fighter universe, don't expect other Capcom characters to show up from series like Biohazard/Resident Evil, Darkstalkers, Megaman, and many of their other series. Sorry, it just ain't gonna happen.

*****

The warm summer night's breeze carried many scents even as the rains had washed away many of the old ones. With little to contend with the new scents filled the air. Letting out a howl the warrior emerged from his secluded cave.

The sound of a new challenger's cry filled the night, driving the prey into hiding. Rushing out to meet his new challenger the warrior sniffed at the air. There would be plenty of prey for him to hunt tonight once he finished with the interlopers.

*****

The gently crashing waves crashed onto the vacant beach. What had once been a popular tourist destination had long been abandoned. Wrecked ships and boats littered the beach, providing plenty of housing for the stray, feral animals that populated the shoreline. With the slowly setting sun the few remaining dogs and cats wolfed down the remains of their meals before returning to their hidden lairs.

Gazing at the sun as it vanished behind the tall abandoned hotel the lone survivor sighed. She'd forgotten how long it had been she'd seen any sign of life aside from the many feral animals. Lighting the large bonfire she wondered if she'd ever be able to see another living being, not one of the many Darkseekers that lived in the abandoned hotels.

The sight of two figures emerging from the sea made her heart nearly skip a beat. There were actual people alive? Darkseekers hated the cold ocean water, but people? Could it be?

*****

"I can't believe we ran into those jelly fish," the raven haired boy grumbled as he pulled some seaweed out of his hair.

"I'm surprised that you decided to just swim through them rather than around them," the youth's companion stated as she pulled a random tentacle off of her leg.

"If you can't avoid some tentacles you can't avoid punches," he mumbled, "or something like that."

"I think the saying was 'If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball'," the silver haired gynoid replied.

"You've been watching too many movies."

"Perhaps."

"Um," he said, "could you turn around while I change?"

"But I am here to assist you, Ranma" the gynoid replied.

"Yeah, I don't need assistance changing," the young martial artist countered. "You're job is to make sure that I get to Jusenkyo and bring back some water from the various cursed springs."

The silver haired gynoid nodded. "That is correct. But if you remain in your wet clothes the probability of you returning successfully will decrease."

"That's why you need to turn around Thirteen," he sighed. "Think of it as if you're on watch. Just keep an eye out for any trouble while I'm changing."

Turning around obediently the gynoid instantly detected a presence. "Ranma, I'm detecting a human."

Pulling up his boxers Ranma stood up. "Really?"

"A female – probably in her twenties, and very fast; she's approaching from the south," the gynoid described as she scanned the rapidly approaching woman.

"Really?" he repeated as he pulled on his pants. "We're in China, right?"

"Correct, we are just outside of Shanghai."

"You're programmed to speak Chinese, right?"

"Mandarin and Cantonese," Thirteen replied, "oh."

*****

Running along the beach the young woman wasn't surprised to see the two figures running towards her. Cautiously she slowed down as she tried to get a better look at the two mysterious figures. One was obviously female and appeared to be either wearing all white or some light color, while the other was now dressed in dark pants and a red shirt. The broad shoulders suggested a young man, though it was hard to say from that distance.

Neither appeared to be armed, but the girl appeared to be wearing something in her hair or on her head that resembled an antenna. The closer the pair came the more obvious it was that the one she had mistaken for a girl was actually a robot or android of some sort. Perhaps that was how the young man had managed to survive.

"Hello," the silver haired artificial human greeted in perfect Mandarin.

"Hello," the black haired woman returned. "You're Japanese?"

"Yes," the gynoid replied. "You speak Japanese?"

"Yes," she replied, "I am Chun-Li."

Ranma was slightly surprised. It had been one thing for Mousse and Cologne to speak fluent Japanese, but for the first stranger he stumbled across in China to be able to speak Japanese…. Well, actually, why the hell was he surprised?

"Ranma Saotome," he said, "this is Thirteen."

"You have more of them?" she asked as she glanced from the athletic young man to the silver haired gynoid.

"She's not mine really, just accompanying me for now," Ranma replied as she scratched his head. "Why don't we settle in for the night first, I'm sure there are probably some Darkseekers around and since it's almost sunset it might be best for us to get ready for the night."

*****

Two stressful weeks had gone by with little changing at the Hinata Sou. Though the hot summer weather had finally settled in, the longer days had not been fruitful for the remaining survivors.

"You're sure that there are Darkseeker still on the island?" Dr. Tofu asked as he looked at the hidden weapons master.

"Positive," Mousse replied. "Yesterday we tagged three deer over here" he pointed to the northwest section of the map "and today we came across the remains of one of them."

"You're sure it's not a feral dogs or some other predator?" Tsuruko interjected.

"The tracks are definitely Darkseekers," Ibuki answered. As the only other person on the patrol and as the only tracker in the group, she had quickly learned to distinguish the transformed humans' tracks. "Looks like three adults and at least two children."

"They may have come over the night after the mudslide," Mutsumi volunteered. "That's the only time there was any debris in the river that may have allowed them to get to the island."

"I'll tell Su to turn on all the cameras on the island. If we can see where they are we might be able to flush them out during the day," Tsuruko explained. "You two can tell the others that they'll have to say on the third floor tonight. We'll turn on the defenses on the grounds and second floor."

Mousse nodded. _Damn you Ranma, where the Hell are you?_

*****

After months of having no contact with a living human (she didn't count Darkseekers as human anymore) Chun-Li had thought that she'd seen it all. With her many experiences with Interpol and with the Street Fighter tournaments she'd thought she'd seen it all. But if even half of what the boy, no, young man before her were true…. "That's impossible."

The pigtailed martial artist smirked. "I knew you were gonna say that. Believe me, if I weren't me, I'd think something like that were crazy too. But trust me when I say that I've seen a lot more bizarre shit than, well, anyone."

"You're saying that you used to turn into a girl when splashed with cold water but turned back with warm water; that your chief rival turns into a black piglet and used to sleep with your late fiancée and that she didn't know that he was actually the pig? And that another rival turns into a duck and your father turned into a panda?" Blinking she tried to keep all the facts straight, "That's insane!"

"You forgot that another fiancée turns into a cat," Thirteen added. "And that the third fiancée cross-dresses and hired a cross-dressing ninja."

Chun-Li blinked. _This makes shooting fireballs seem like… well, everyday stuff_. "Let me get this straight, you came back to China to find this magical water that turns whoever is splashed into an exact copy of whatever drowned in it even though you were once cursed but are now cured?"

Ranma nodded.

"Why?"

"Well, back when everything was normal, I once came across this guy, well this entire tribe or village that used to splash powerful wild animals with the water of drowned girl or woman, and then marry the women. The resulting children would inherit some of their mother's animalistic strengths as well as their father's genes, making them stronger."

"The Musk tribe, in the Qinghai Province," Chun-Li muttered.

"Yeah, them," Ranma exclaimed. His smile soon faded as the solemn and somber look on the older martial artist's face told him that something was wrong.

"Soon after the Krippin Virus hit China and the first Darkseekers began to run rampant, there was word of a tribe in Qinghai that was resistant to the virus. Not only were they resistant, they were strong enough to kill the few Darkseekers that went into the province," the former Interpol agent explained. "The government tried to recruit the Musk to help deal with the Krippin virus and the Darkseekers. They refused. Their leaders said something about the rest of the world not being worthy enough for them to save, and that they would rule what was left as only the strong would survive. The government thought that perhaps the Musk had something to do with the Krippin virus and had created a cure or vaccine, so they sent in troops. It didn't take long for the army to realize that they just couldn't handle a close quarters battle with the Musk warriors, so they nuked the entire province."

Ranma trembled. As a young Japanese man he knew of the terrors of the nuclear bomb. As the only nation to have ever been nuked the Japanese as a people had been traumatized by the destructive power of the weapon as well as by the decades long after effects of the radiation poisoning. It had been one thing for the Americans to bomb them in a time of war, but for the Chinese Government to do it to their own people….

He didn't know why, but Ranma felt his legs give underneath him. Sitting on the remains of a broken row boat, he trembled in fury and rage. But there was more, some fleeting emotion that he couldn't completely comprehend or grasp – disgust.

"Damn," he swore. "And I swam all the way here for nothing…."

Chun-Li blinked. She hadn't heard him right, had she? "You swam here? From your boat, or some ship, right?"

"No," Thirteen replied. "We swam here. It took us 186 hours, 39 minutes and 25.3 seconds."

It was Chun-Li's turn to sit down as her legs gave out underneath her. "You swam the entire way, without sleeping?"

The raven haired young man nodded. "I've done it before. Actually the last time I came to China I did the same thing, and swam back to Japan too. Just give me a day and I'll head back now that there's nothing here for me to do.

"But enough about me," Ranma said in a rare display of modesty, "how'd you get here?"

"I was actually sent to Qinghai to investigate if the Musk had actually developed a cure to the virus," she replied.

"Because you're a good fighter," Ranma interjected.

She smiled, "Yes, because I'm a world-class fighter. Anyways, I didn't find a cure, but after listening to your story, I understand why so many of them were immune to the airborne virus. I was evacuated shortly before the government nuked the entire province. After that the government crumbled the populace rose up in panic and self-preservation. It didn't stop the Darkseekers.

"We should probably find a more secure spot," she finally suggested. Glancing at the ruined towers before her she stood up. "There's a large pack of Darkseekers living in the hotels over there."

"How many?" Ranma asked as he stood up.

"They travel in packs of a dozen at most, though there are a few smaller packs as well," the former street fighter answered. "There are still survivors in the city – I hear gunshots every night, but lately not so much."

"That's not too bad," he mumbled. "When's low tide?"

*****

The gently rolling waves slowly and steadily rocked the yacht as the quartet of survivors loaded their new temporary home. Though they had become used to the small sailboat the yacht promised to provide them with much more of what they needed. The nearly thirty meter long yacht had a working solar and wind-turban generators, but had working air conditioning, a short wave radio and TV (with satellite dish), electric lights, was automated and had an autopilot program, had working hot water (and water maker/converter that turned sea water into fresh drinkable water), and even came with a working refrigerator and freezer (stocked with frozen fish).

"Wow," Tina exclaimed as she looked at the large, spacious cabin.

"I never dreamed that I'd actually have a yacht," Keitaro sighed contently.

"Sir," Juni said with a sharp salute. "We should have more than adequate room to move over all the plants from the sailboat as well as build a small coop for the chickens we found."

The runty young man nodded. "Tina, why don't you go with Juni and Juli and begin to move things over. I'm going to check out the cabin and see if the radio works. Maybe there are other survivors."

The energetic blond nodded, excited at the prospect of being able to take a hot shower.

*****

The sound of gunfire echoed off the vacant buildings, cutting through the enraged howls and roars as group of survivors fled the safety of their haven. Running hard the lead figure unloaded her shotgun, not even bothering to take aim. The rain of metal pellets blasted back the Darkseeker blocking her path, allowing her and her companions to rush past the fallen form.

"Minazuki-sensei!" the smallest survivor shouted.

Looking back at her son, the woman with the shotgun watched as the Darkseeker she'd just shot grabbed hold of her former student's ankle and tripped him. Cocking her gun, she pointed it at the creature's head. Just as she was about to pull the trigger something hit her hard from the side, tackling her into the hard concrete wall and knocking the gun out of her hand.

An intense pain tore through her shoulder as the creature took a rammed her into the wall again. Instinctively she lashed out, kneeing the creature in the stomach. Though she managed to separate herself from the creature she knew that there was little more she could do. Her right arm hung limply as the impact with the wall had dislocated her shoulder.

Fighting the blinding pain she barely made out the approaching horde of Darkseekers. Two of them had grabbed hold of Wakaba-kun, and another three had disarmed her husband. Slowly a dogi wearing female Darkseeker approached her as the rest of the pack kept her from fleeing the alley.

Though she was a skilled fighter, she knew that she would not see the sunrise. Charging at the apparent leader of the pack, she lashed out with a spinning kick. A sharp pain tore through her stomach as the dogi wearing female Darkseeker disemboweled her with its claws.

"Kyoko!" the man shouted only to have two of the Darkseekers take advantage of his exposed back. Raking the back of his calves with its claws the leotard wearing female howled in delight as he fell to the ground.

"Hideo," she managed to gasp as the pain began to overwhelm her. "I lo-"

A powerful kick to her neck snapped it, killing her instantly. Standing over her kill, the dogi wearing Darkseeker let out a cry of triumph. Tonight her pack would feed well.

*****

Looking at the multiple screens Su sighed. Even to the young girl it was clear that the tensions within the Hinata Sou were not going away anytime soon. Ranma's self-imposed exile had not gone over well, and even though the others refused to tell her why the pigtailed martial artist had left, the other martial artists all felt that he had apparently done the right thing.

The recent discovery by Mousse and Ibuki didn't help matters either as it merely shifted the unspoken words to the backs of everyone else's minds. Though she was loathed to admit it, Su hoped that they wouldn't find the small pack of Darkseekers. She knew that they could be a threat to them, but the young girl couldn't abandon her friends and former companions.

Suddenly an alert issued on one of her monitors. Checking the system she grabbed her headphones.

"-shima – I'm a survivor. If you can hear me please respond. There are four of us on a yacht in Hawaii. I repeat, this is Keitaro Urashima – I'm a survivor. If you can hear me please respond. There are four of us on a yacht near Hawaii."

A tear ran down the young girl's cheeks. He's alive! He's alive! Keitaro's alive!

Grabbing the microphone she turned on the speakers. "Naru, Motoko, Mutsumi! He's alive! Keitaro's alive!"

*****

The sight of a large bonfire intrigued the survivor. Though she'd seen plenty of buildings burned down and more than a few cars as well, it had been a long time since she'd seen such a large fire. It wasn't terribly big, just big enough. Grabbing her binoculars she tried to get a better view of the beach.

"Survivors?" Pulling the visual aid away from her face she took a deep breath. "It can't be." Again she looked at the fire through the binoculars. "It is. What bloody idiots! They're out in the open, completely defenseless against. They could at least sit in the water or on one of the broken piers or a boat or something… They're a bunch of bloody idiots!"

*****

"You're insane," Chun-Li shouted as she watched the young martial artist leap over the newly dug moat. _That's a fifteen meter jump! I've only seen Ryu something like that!_ "You're crazy!"

"If I had a hundred yen for every time someone said that," Ranma chuckled as he landed on the other side of the moat. "I'll be back shortly."

"What the Hell are you doing to do?"

"Even though his mission to bring back the Jusenkyo water is over, Ranma's sense of duty will not allow him to leave others in need," Thirteen explained. "If there are other survivors in Shanghai than he will seek them out and rescue them."

"But what about the Darkseekers?" the former Interpol officer asked. "And doesn't he need to sleep?"

"I have wondered about that," the gynoid replied. "For a human he's incredibly durable and strong. Though I have never seen his cursed form I have no reason to believe that magic of any kind is fueling him."

Chun-Li nodded. _Ken and Ryu have their Hadou, and Bison had his Psycho-power… has this kid tapped into something like that?_

*****

Things were never simple for Ranma, but then again, he didn't care. It was the many challenges in his life that had made him better and stronger. If not for all the difficulties he wouldn't have become who he was today, but did he really want to be who he was now?

Ever since running away from the Hinata Sou Ranma knew that he lacked direction. He'd run because he couldn't, wouldn't accept what Dr. Tofu and Tsuruko and the other had decided for him. But what was the alternative?

Even the stupid mage, what's his name Albeardo or Albireo, something like that, yeah, Albireo, even the cure/lock to the curse hadn't improved Ranma's outlook on life. If not for the fact that he owed the mage for curing him, Ranma wouldn't have come to China (at least not right away). As a martial artist it was his duty to protect the weak, even if it meant that he'd have to fight hordes of Darkseekers. If he could he'd simply beat them, though he knew in the back of his mind that he might have to kill some. He hoped that it wouldn't come down to that, but if it did he'd have to.

The pigtailed boy knew that he was running on excess testosterone, a lingering gift from the perverted Happosai. Clearly the old man had known of that side-effect, just as he'd known about how it would affect women who consumed the Super Strength Soba.

Getting away from Chun-Li and Thirteen had been more for their safety than his. He couldn't help but steal glances at the shapely gynoid as whoever had designed her and her sisters had tried very hard to make them anatomically correct. And then there was the former street fighter and Interpol agent – Chun-Li. Damn, she was as hot as they came. Sure, she wasn't as stacked as Mutsumi or Naru, but she was an accomplished fighter. Her fine, toned muscles, firm ass, powerful legs, and perky breasts….

_Damn_, he though, feeling the subtle shift in his pants. At least the ocean had prevented him from leering at Thirteen, but now that they were on land, well, he'd have to make sure that she wore something around him.

Hearing the not so distant howls from the Darkseekers Ranma leapt on top of a fence. The distant sounds of gunfire quickly drew his attention as it was a sign that there were survivors. Following the sound of the repeating gunfire and the howls of the Darkseekers that were assaulting the survivors, the pigtailed boy hoped that the survivors could last until he got there.

*****

"Keitaro!" Naru shouted into the microphone. "This is Naru Narusagawa of the Hinata Sou! Motoko and Su are alive and well, and so is Tsuruko and Mutsumi. We've picked up a few more survivors, but… I'm glad that you're okay! Please come back home – we miss you," she said as she wiped the tears out of her eyes. "I love you Keitaro Urashima!"

Motoko blushed at Naru's admission. Though she had long harbored feelings for their former dorm manager, the swordswoman knew that she couldn't compete with Naru's feelings for him. _But if we're going to have to share the men_…

The alien thought startled her, and yet she almost smiled at the thought.

_But you like Ranma, arrogant jerk that he is, you still like him more_, part of her said.

_No I don't, he's… sweet… but he's still grieving_… For the first time in weeks the swordswoman found herself thinking about the rogue martial artist. Why had she chased after him when he left?

_It was your job_, that dark part of her stated. _You did that because your sister wanted him to come back. But now Keitaro's coming back and you can have him, you'll just have to wait your turn_.

_Can you really share him?_ Another part of her psyche asked.

Across the room similar thoughts ran through Kanako's mind.

*****

The sound of the Darkseekers howling in victory was not enough to deter the skilled martial artist from checking out the scene. The lingering light and the scent of freshly spilled human blood though told him that he'd arrived much too late. The sound of more gunfire drew the frustrated young man away. Unhappy with his failure, Ranma pushed himself harder.

*****

With little to do other than watching the girls make fools of themselves as they broadcast their feelings to this Keitaro Urashima, Ryoga pulled Mousse out of Su's command room or whatever it was that the young girl called it.

"I was wondering when you'd drag me out of there," Mousse mumbled as the two young men returned to their room. The air of excitement had passed by for them. As outsiders they didn't belong and it quickly became apparent that they didn't weren't going to be missed.

"I'm starting to think that Ranma was right," the fanged martial artist stated.

"What, because of this?" his companion asked for clarification.

The normally depressed fighter shook his head. "It's been two weeks and aside from Ibuki none of the girls have talked to us. The most they'll do is ask one of us to do something and other, and maybe if we're lucky they'll ask if we want something to snack on during the nightly movie."

"You're thinking of leaving, aren't you?" another voice said, interrupting their conversation. "You're not the only ones without any ties to this place. And at least you two know each other and Dr. Tofu; I'm…"

He didn't know why, but the nearsighted master of hidden weapons found his arm around the occasionally clueless ninja.

"Come with us," Ryoga found himself saying, snapping the two out of their emotional funk.

"What?" Mousse shouted.

"Keep it down," Ryoga shushed his sometimes-a-rival-usually-a-reluctant-ally. "Think about it, they sent Motoko and Kanako after Ranma when he left, what are they going to do if they think we're gonna split? With us around they didn't need Ranma as much, but with all of us gone what do you think they're likely to do to keep us from leaving?

"And with Ibuki we can keep them from tracking and chasing after us," the usually idealess Ryoga explained. "Besides, with the two of you as the primary hunters you can set some food aside so that we can have something set aside for when we leave."

Mousse blinked. God, I think I'm the smartest one here… "We should be able to just live off of what we gather for now," he amended. "We could also scavenge for supplies until we set ourselves up somewhere."

*****

Roars of anger and howls of pain filled the night as the lone survivor took aim at the two Darkseekers in the hallway. Twin flashes of light lit up the hallway shortly followed by the thunderous discharges of her guns as she put one of the creatures out of its misery and stopped the other in its tracks. A third shot quickly followed, silencing the creature.

With the ringing in her ears quickly receding the shooter strained her senses, listening for the telltale howls that announced the approach of other Darkseekers. Counting down the time until the next stragglers arrived, she quickly discharged the empty clips. Popping in full clips into her still smoking guns, she rushed down the hallway. Flipping on the special UV lights she'd installed the survivor fell back to a more secure position.

The sound of the Darkseekers crashing against the wall told her that they were approaching much faster that she expected. With her limited supply of bullets quickly running out she knew that she'd have to rely on her fighting skills and the weak UV lights to discourage the hungry Darkseekers. The wall collapsed as a Darkseeker flew through it. Another loud blast ended the wounded creature's howls.

The blond was surprised by the appearance of the young man leaping through the hole as he nimbly sidestepped a Darkseeker's charge. Countering with a hard kick to the chin, he sent the Darkseeker flying back into the darkness.

"How many are there?" he shouted as he glanced at the armed woman.

"You came through there," she shouted back, "you tell me."

"There are six in the hallway, all unconscious," he replied. "How many survivors?"

"Just me," the blond replied.

"Name's Ranma," the pigtailed boy stated. "We need to get out of here fast. There's a large pack chasing after me and you're definitely not going to be able to hold them off in here."

"Cammy," the woman replied calmly. "What do you expect me to do? It's much more defensible here."

Suddenly Ranma was standing before her. Just as suddenly Cammy found herself in his arms as he rushed down the hallway. In a flash a golden ball of light soared through the hallway, crashing into the dark, tinted glass. The rush of expelled air pulled at the pair and the debris in the hallway.

"We're on the tenth floor!" Cammy found herself shouting as Ranma rushed at his newly made doorway.

Pumping his legs Ranma felt the rushing air against his face. Kicking off the ledge he propelled them across the wide abandoned street rather then up. Crashing through the windows of the building across from the one they had just vacated, the pair found themselves just a few stories below where Ranma had just jumped. Running through the building Ranma charged through the walls, taking the straightest route through the building as the howls of the enraged Darkseekers fell further and further behind them.

Seeing the large bonfire Cammy wondered if the reckless yet surprising young man was planning to save the foolish survivors on the beach or if he was the foolish survivor that had started the fire.

*****

Listening to the gynoid speak fluent Mandarin the former Interpol agent couldn't help but wonder about the young man who had apparently swam all the way from Japan to China.

"So you're actually in your-"

"Yes," Chun-Li replied. "A woman never tells anyone her age, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell Ranma just how old I really am."

"I'm impressed," Thirteen nodded. "When I scanned you your readings gave me the impression of someone much younger."

_Is she flattering me? Can an artificial human do that? _She thought to herself. _Hell, I didn't think that anyone could make an artificial person._ "Thank you."

"But there are older survivors back in Japan," the gynoid added, "if you're looking for someone more mature and stable than Ranma."

"True, but I'm sure that Ranma had good reason to leave that place."

Suddenly the gynoid stood up, "He's on his way back; and he's bringing company."

The distant roars from the nearly empty city filled the silent void with only the crackling fire accompanying it as the martial artist and the gynoid waited for the pigtailed young man's return.

With the light behind her Chun-Li knew that it was much easier for Ranma to see her than for her to see him. The splashing water from the Ranma dug moat told her that Ranma had returned. Turning towards the sound, she blinked, allowing her eyes to adjust to the light.

"Cammy?" the Interpol agent said in English.

"Chun-Li?" the MI-6 agent exclaimed in English

Stepping out of the waist deep water, Ranma set the scarred blond down. "You two know each other?"

Spotting an opening Thirteen struck, hitting Ranma with a strong sedative.

"Wha…." Clutching at the tiny dart, Ranma fell forward.

Chun-Li and Cammy both turned on the gynoid.

"You remember when you first encountered us and I told you we'd swam here straight from Japan, no sleep?" the gynoid asked as it turned to Chun-Li. Reluctantly the Interpol agent nodded. "The typical human needs to sleep once a day, but he has been awake for 320 hours, 29 minutes and 19 seconds. The Guinness World Records record is 449 hours by Maureen Weston, of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in April, 1977, in a rocking-chair marathon. It is unhealthy for Ranma to press himself so hard and so long. I was under orders to put him to sleep once an opportunity presented itself. Considering the situation, I felt that this was the best time – there are two others who can watch him while he sleeps, and he has secured a safe spot to rest."

"He's been awake for over 13 days," the taller woman muttered in Japanese as she checked the unconscious young man.

"He swam all the way from Japan?"

*****

Listening to the steady breathing of her lover laying beside her, Tina tried every trick she knew to help her sleep. But after hearing Keitaro shouting excitedly into the short wave radio and then listening to the messages that the many girls were sending back, she knew that he didn't love her. And yet they had been intimate with each other.

Could she settle for being with someone who didn't love her? Did she love him? Or had she merely latched onto someone because he was there? Had he done the same?

*****

A/N

I'm using the spelling for Chun-Li from the Capcom site so don't whine about how I spelled it. I'm used to it as Chung Li myself….

Yes, Ranma is cured, but Ryoga and Mousse aren't cured.

Next chapter – Dreams.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	19. Chapter 19

Author's Notes –

No more disclaimers – I posted them on the first ten chapters or so of the fic. I hope you're not that ignorant of ownership issues with this fic if you've been reading it this long.

Yes, Ranma is cured, but Ryoga and Mousse are not. The later pair have not stopped by Mahora and seen Albireo, thus have not been cured. Ranma is in China to collect the water from the spring of drowned girl and any other drowned humans in exchange for being cured. But you'll see that in subsequent chapters.

I really didn't know about curing Ranma's curse, but I think that the cures are necessary as the focus of this fic isn't about how the martial artists deal with the curse, but how they deal with being the last survivors. There are other problems for the surviving NWC to deal with now, and the curses would only detract and ultimately keep them from moving ahead. I agree that it's always been an issue to them, but it's nothing Ranma's every really gotten motivated to fix except in the earlier chapters/volumes of the manga. For Ranma the curse is more inconvenient than anything, but for Mousse and Ryoga it's a bit different but become something they come to accept as well. They really don't go out of their way to cure themselves until Herb comes along, and even then they're willing to go back to normal (for them) and stick with their curses.

As to nuking Jusenkyo, well, the water is still around, but the springs are mixing and the area is radioactive, thus adding to the danger of A) going to Jusenkyo and B) using the water.

I might have gotten my radio waves mixed up, but depending on the wave length it is possible for long distance (i.e. Hawaii to East Coast of the US, or California to New Zealand).

As for Ryoga, Mousse, and Ibuki leaving, well, that's going to get interesting too.

As I alluded to in the previous chapter's notes, this chapter is about dreams.

*****

For the first time in, well, a long time, Chun-Li found herself sleeping peacefully and restfully. Though the tiny man-made island (lined with large rocks) offered few comforts beyond the large, warm, bonfire, it was the fact that she was not alone that had allowed her to sleep. In the past month the former Interpol agent had become accustomed to sleeping lightly in case Darkseekers or other survivors were around.

Given Shanghai's population it was not hard to imagine that there were many survivors, but there had also been many Darkseekers. In the grueling month since the government had fallen survivors had become just as bad, if not worse than the Darkseekers. Gangs of survivors attacked anything in the belief that their days were already numbered. The gangs often killed other groups who weren't keen on joining them or rival gangs, weakening themselves and others as they fought. A few went so far as to rape their victims, sometimes resorting to necrophilia as they gratified themselves with the dead remains of their victims.

But it didn't take long for the Darkseekers to overwhelm the survivors, many of which were unprepared for the pure power and brute force that the infected humans possessed.

Had she not had access to several Interpol safe houses, Chun-Li was sure that she wouldn't have managed to survive several lonely nights. With the fall of the government, the handful of police and government agents had fought hard to try and maintain order amid the chaos. Their fruitless battles had slowly cut down on the number of officers and agents until only she remained. Even without guns the skilled martial artist was able to hold her own against the Darkseekers, but with their overwhelming numbers even she knew that she couldn't remain in the city. Having fled to the beach she had spent the past week sleeping on a lifeboat less than a hundred meters from the shore.

Limited to an inconsistent diet of fish and multivitamin supplements, she dared not venture back into the city. Even from the shores she could hear the nightly gunfights though they had grown less frequent and intense in the past week. But the increased howls and roars of the Darkseekers had quickly replaced them as fewer true humans remained.

And then Ranma and Thirteen had arrived.

For the first time in countless nights, Chun-Li wasn't alone. Though she was forced to share Ranma's meager bedroll with the sedated young man and Cammy (where the hell had he kept it anyways?), she slept soundly and comfortably.

*****

Things had never been easy for Cammy, well, so long as she had been called Cammy at least. The former doll known as Killer Bee had shown considerable talent as a fighter, though she really didn't remember her time as the mindless doll. But as Cammy, the blond fighter had found her life to be very difficult. Not only had she fought long and hard to discover who she had been, she had found it hard to accept who she had been and eventually breaking free of her mysterious past.

As an agent of England's MI-6, the former mindless doll had found a place to call home before the apparent fall of humanity. The Krippin Virus had hit England and Europe hard. Despite being an island nation it was easily accessible to the rest of Europe. Yet England had managed to weather the storm much longer than many of the G8 and G20 nations, especially considering its size.

With her past ties to Shadowloo it was only natural that the Colonel had ordered her to investigate the fallen criminal organization for the possibility that they might have been behind some of the developments involved in creating the virus and/or had developed a cure. Yet all she had found were dead ends and empty bases. By the time she'd reached Shanghai the former assassin had lost communication with the colonel and her commander. Given the state of affairs in China it wasn't hard for her to assume that things in England had become just as bad if not worse than they were in China.

After a month in Shanghai it had become clear that England as she knew it was no more. Forced to fend for herself the young street fighter had managed to hold her own for several weeks before the already limited supplies of the vacant base had begun to run out.

Having watched the ferocious Darkseekers wear down the defenses of the Shadowloo base she'd inhabited, the young assassin had developed a grudging respect for the powerful creatures. It was that healthy respect for their durability and toughness that had dictated that she make sure she put down all of the ones that she'd come across.

And then there was the bonfire – the unbelievable and possibly borderline crazy martial artist's bonfire. Of course there had also been the insane rescue. It was as though she were in a Jackie Chan movie on crack, jumping off buildings, crashing through windows, and soaring through the air several stories over the pavement. And all without firearms or wires! It had been intense and insane.

Slipping into an initially uneasy slumber as the gynoid watched over her, Cammy found herself unconsciously snuggling up to the sedated Ranma.

*****

The large bonfire clearly illuminated the sleeping trio as the gynoid watched over them. In truth, the gynoid had powered down long ago to conserve her already depleted batteries. Only her visual sensors and alert system remained online, though only because Albireo wanted to continue monitoring Ranma. Sitting at his control panel, the weakened mage had little to do other than mess with the pigtailed young man. With the waters from the Spring of Drowned girl no longer accessable to him, Ranma was effectively off the hook. Having promised to guide Thirteen to Jusenkyo, and not to actually bring water back himself, Ranma had effectively paid back his debt for the sealing spell.

Though Ranma had been more familiar with Seven at the time he had returned to Mahora, Albireo had convinced Ranma to allow Thirteen to accompany him instead. Designed more for hauling water, she had been the perfect choice to accompany Ranma. But with the addition of long-range satellite communications that allowed him to send commands to her and to view what she saw, Thirteen had become the perfect way for the mage to enjoy his voyeuristic tendencies.

Looking over the other modifications that he had installed on the gynoid, he smiled. "This ought to make things a bit more interesting," he said to himself as he pressed a button. Though he had wanted to use the button on Ranma once the young martial artist had thrown something into the spring of drowned girl, the mage knew that he no longer had that luxury. But with the two beautiful women now laying beside Ranma…. Well, that button just begged to be used.

A light spray of magical perfume hovered over the three sleeping forms. Slowly the mist faded with each passing breath.

"If only I could make them dress up in cute little outfits…." the lonely mage said as he over the control panel. "Now where's the record button?"

*****

The slow pounding sensation filled his skull as the raven haired boy slowly came to. "What the Hell did she hit me with?" he asked himself even though he didn't have an answer for his own question. Looking up he blinked. "Where the hell is everyone?"

A thick, blank fog enveloped him, leaving little more than a meter or two visible.

"Nobody's here," a familiar voice replied. "Just you and me."

Ranma blinked. "Now I know I'm dreaming."

The redhead nodded as she smiled at him. Slowly she removed her red silk shirt.

Ranma found himself topless, both versions of him. "But, you're…"

"Gone?" Ranko replied. "What, you weren't cured, you were merely locked into that form. That doesn't get rid of me permanently. I will always be a part of you."

"So what?" the raven haired version replied. "You're locked up - you can't do anything to me."

"You don't get it do you?" the redheaded Ranko asked. "I am you, well, a part of you at least."

Slowly the redhead became more feral, more feline, causing the black haired boy to backpedal. The redhead grinned like a Cheshire cat at him. "And so am I? Or have you forgotten about me?" Crawling on all fours, the redhead slowly stalked her prey as the black haired boy took another step back.

"Wh-what do you want?" the slightly frightened boy asked.

Again the redhead grinned. "You know what I want… you want it too… Well, you want what they have to offer…"

Chun-Li, Cammy, Thirteen, Motoko, Naru, and Kanako emerged from the fog, each of them completely naked and completely unabashed about their nakedness.

"Ranma," Chun-Li said in a tone very reminiscent of Shampoo.

"Ranma," Cammy said as she traced her finger over his face in the exact spot that her scar was on her face.

"Saotome," Motoko whispered.

"Take me," Naru said as she licked her lips. Kanako slipped behind the buxom auburn haired girl, kissing her neck as she locked eyes with Ranma.

Thirteen slowly morphed into Akane as Ryoga appeared in the fog.

"Even though you loved me you never wanted me," Akane stated as she covered herself up. "That's why you're a pervert. You always wanted to fight more than to be with me."

"You're wrong," the raven haired boy shouted as he closed his eyes and pulled away from the seductive women. "I loved you, but I… I knew it wasn't right… we weren't right for each other."

"Is that why you were much more friendly to all the other girls?" Akane asked as she stepped away from him.

"No," he replied honestly, "I… I was afraid… I was afraid that I'd lose all of you."

"And yet you left us behind," Akane stated.

"Everyone else died, I didn't leave you behind," Ranma said, hanging his head. "You snapped."

"Do you blame me? You slept with Ukyo."

"And you slept with Ryoga," Ranma countered. "I knew you liked him best, so I'm not surprised. As much as I loved you, I knew we weren't right for each other. We never were."

"So this is goodbye?"

Looking up at the apparition, Ranma nodded. "I should have told you that long ago; you were important to me, but not the one for me. I'm sorry."

Slowly Akane morphed back into Thirteen. The silver-haired gynoid floated in the air.

"So what are you going to do?" the redhead asked. "What are we going to do now? Will you hold back for fear of hurting others or will you go after what you want?"

Standing firm, Ranma shook his head. "I'm going back to Japan."

"Because you have to hold up your end of the deal?" Ranko asked.

"Because I owe it to Ryoga and Mousse," the young martial artist replied.

"You don't owe them anything," his female self stated. "They've been rivals of yours for so long-"

"And they've also helped me countless times," the young man stated. "Even though they had their own reasons to help out, I've relied and depended on them in the past and I owe it to them to help cure them."

"It's only countless to you because you fail to keep track of the number of times they actually helped you," Ranko smirked.

"And how many times have I not helped them back in return?" he countered. "I need to settle my debts."

Slowly the women faded into the fog, leaving Ranma alone with Ranko.

"I guess you'll be seeing me," the redhead smiled.

"I guess," he replied as he slowly merged with Ranko.

*****

"Hmmm," Albireo mused as he contemplated Ranma's dream. "He has been awake for far too long – I'd have expected more…."

*****

The gentle glow of the multiple monitors illuminated the dark room as Cammy explored the empty Shadowloo base. Standing before an empty tank she glanced at the screens, each one displaying vital information, just not the information that she needed.

Suddenly she found herself standing not before the tank, but inside of it.

Yes widening in panic and terror, she struggled against the restraints and the weight of the chemically treated water.

"You're positive that they're resistant?" a familiar, deep, menacing voice asked. Though she couldn't see the figure clearly, she knew his distinctive silhouette and voice as he stood in the shadows.

"Yes Master Bison," the scrawny scientist answered. "The dolls are completely resistant, and any of their offspring will be resistant as well. They are all resistant to the common cold or any other viral infections. They are programmed to find a suitable mate to reproduce with. Thus we"

"We?"

"You, master, you will have the perfect foundation for your army of super warriors," the scientist corrected.

"No," she whispered. "No!"

"No!" a stranger's voice shouted, mirroring her own protests. A slightly familiar red shirt wearing young man slowly took shape in the darkness while Bison and his cronies faded. "I will not be a baby factory!"

Free of the chemicals and tank, Cammy found herself standing before the other dolls.

"Killer Bee," a brunette doll said with a salute.

Beside the brunette stood another doll, this one with strawberry blond hair, "What are our Orders?"

Unsure of their orders, Cammy returned their salute none the less. "Live," she ordered them. "Your orders are to live."

Juni blinked. "How do we do that?"

The scarred young woman lowered her arm, "I don't know."

*****

The cool morning mist filled the graveyard around her as she knelt before her father's grave. Lighting the incense she offered a prayer to her long departed father.

"So you've avenged your father," an ancient voice stated. "But at what cost?"

"Master Gen," the young woman gasped as she stood up. Bowing formally at her master and instructor, she waited for him to return the gesture.

"What else would your father want you to do?" the ancient master asked her.

Looking at her master questioningly, she looked away to contemplate his words.

"There is more to life than martial arts," the former assassin stated. "Think of the future and find your path, but remember that not all paths require you to be a martial artist, and your skill as a martial artist will not see you through all your journeys. There must be more to your life."

"All you taught me was the martial artist," the former Interpol agent stated. "And Father taught me to be a good officer. So what else is there?"

The image of a young man wearing a Chinese style shirt made of red silk, and plain black pants, slowly emerged from the shadows.

"You are not alone," Gen stated, his ghostly form slowly fading. "He is like you – defined by the art, he lacks direction and purpose. Unsure of the future, he focuses on the present. Surviving is not enough."

Slowly the world faded to nothing as the fog enveloped everything but herself and Ranma.

*****

The gentle summer night's breeze swept leaves and the lingering litter across the empty plaza. Sniffing the air the Warrior let out an anguished cry before jumping down to the plaza. The smell of death and decay filled the clearing as nearly a dozen of his kind littered the ground.

Investigating their bodies the Warrior knew that they had died swiftly, yet brutally. Their broken bodies lay in craters along the ground, though the occasional arm or leg protruded through gaping holes in the walls of the neighboring buildings.

A lone cry filled the night, breaking the silence, as the Warrior mourned his fallen brethren.

*****

The slowly dying fire provided little warmth or light for the trio of martial artists as the first of the three individuals woke. Blinking, the raven haired young man tried to recall why he was on the ground. Not only was he on the ground, but he found himself sandwiched between the two surviving women he'd encountered during his first day back in China.

_Man, why do I always get caught up between these things? _

Feeling the two women slowly stirring, he mentally steeled himself for the ensuing assault.

"Ranma?" It was Chun-Li. Gently shifting her head onto his shoulder so as not to stop the blood flowing into his hand and arm, she nestled up to him. "What are you planning to do now?"

"Yes Ranma, what are you going to do?" Cammy repeated as she rolled onto her back though still stayed close to him.

"You're not going to Qinghai still are you?" Chun-Li asked.

"No," Ranma replied. Idly, he began to twitch his fingers, making sure that the blood was still flowing to them. "I'm going back to Japan. There's some unfinished business I need to attend to."

"Qinghai? Isn't that the province that got nuked?" Cammy asked.

"Yeah," Ranma replied. "I was supposed to collect some spring water there."

"It's a long story, but I don't think I really believe it myself," Chun-Li added.

"You can tell me all about it when we go back to Japan," the blond replied. "That reminds me, how are you planning to get back to Japan?"

"And don't say you're going to swim," Chun-Li added.

"Um, I don't know," the young martial artist replied.

*****

Albireo sighed. He'd expected more from the magical dreaming perfume. Then again, it was untested, and they were leagues away. Still, it had given him some information about the two women now accompanying Ranma.

Yawning, the tired mage decided to let the other gynoids dig up any information they could on Ranma's new companions. Hopefully that would keep him busy until Ranma returned.

*****

Dawn slowly approached, its light reflecting off of the clouds in the eastern sky. Though the sun had yet to appear it was clear that the night would soon be over. Hearing no Darkseekers the pair of rogue martial artists gathered their things. Having brought little to the dormitory the pair left virtually everything else as they departed.

In a matter of moments they were outside of the grounds. A few minutes later saw them beyond the defenses of the Hinata Sou. Once they were well away from the dormitory they suddenly changed directions. With their destination in mind, the two continued in silence towards the new day.

*****

It was an odd sensation – being able to lay down with two beautiful women, and not having them try to pummel him or having them fight over him. _Maybe it's because they're older? Kasumi never freaked out about, well, anything… though there was that time with Akane's hair… But relationship stuff or guys and girls stuff never got to her. Maybe that's why she didn't want someone younger than her._

"So the first time you met your fiancée you were a girl?" Cammy asked, clearly amused by his tale.

"Yeah, and she thought I was a girl so she, well she came to join me in the bath," he explained.

"But the water turned you back to a guy, right?" Chun-Li asked, trying not to snicker. It really was amusing.

"Yeah," he replied. Both women snickered.

Laying her head on his chest, the blond knew that she wouldn't have handled the situation like that. True, she really didn't have normal upbringing, but still… she was sure she wouldn't have handled things like that. "I probably would have gone for my trusty Desert Eagle," she deadpanned.

"It's a gun," Chun-Li explained. She could feel Ranma twitching instinctively. Clearly he wasn't good with handling such humor. "She's joking."

"I'm kidding Ranma," the blond stated as she put her hand on his chest. The feel of his young, strong heart beating steadily felt so reassuring.

A loud rumbling broke the calm of the moment, forcing the two women to eye their new companion.

"Hey, I haven't eaten anything except raw fish that I managed to catch while swimming, for… how long was it?"

"Three days at least," Thirteen stated, drawing the women's attention back to the silent gynoid.

"Well, there's still a fire, we could probably cook something if we caught something," Chun-Li suggested as she reluctantly pulled herself away from her cozy position with Ranma. Following her lead, Cammy sat up as well. "Time to start getting ready for the day."

*****

A/N

I think I'll just leave things where they're at for now.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	20. Chapter 20

Author's Notes –

I don't own the rights to the respective anime/manga/comics, video games, and movie/book where the original characters from this fic are from. I'm merely a fan fiction writer who is borrowing ideas, concepts, and characters and merging them with my own.

Ranma's not really running on emotions, he's running on testosterone. Having never really experienced that before, he and Ryoga are going to have to deal with it without any outside help. While Ranma knows he needs to take a step back and look analyze things before he jumps in, he still had problems actually doing that. And the whole bit about Ryoga and Ranma noticing the sexual appeal of the girls, well, more Ranma than Ryoga as Ryoga is trying to learn more control where as Ranma has always had control and is starting to slowly lose it. He's acting irrationally, especially for him, but without his normal group around to either take advantage of his behavior or to make him pay for it somehow he doesn't exactly realize how out of character he is being.

Yes, expect something to happen between the guys and the girls, but don't expect things to last. Life is full of mistakes and lessons.

*****

The early morning sun felt warm on the piglet's black, furry skin as it peaked out of the kunoichi's bag. Having never gone to Mahora, or even knowing where Mahora was, the directionless martial artist had been forced to endure the majority of the trip in his cursed form for fear of getting lost and thus losing time as the group tried to put distance between themselves and the remaining survivors of the Hinata Sou.

"You're sure this is the way?" Mousse shouted as he soared over the rooftops.

Landing skillfully on a slowly deteriorating roof she paused to throw a look over her shoulder at her companion. "Of course, I spent a lot of time here before I went to the Hinata Sou," Ibuki replied as she began to run the length of the building. Leaping off the roof she flew through the air before landing once again. "That huge tree in the distance is famous in this area and is one of Mahora's famous landmarks."

Having resorted to not wearing his glasses to avoid damaging the lenses, the nearsighted boy really couldn't see anything, merely shapes. Despite having had special lenses made (to resist scratching, cracking, and glaring) just for him, the master of hidden weapons still preferred to keep his glasses off when traveling.

Stopping to put his glasses on Mousse whistled as he realized that it wasn't a hill in the distance, but a large tree. "Do trees get that big in Japan?"

*****

Thinking back on his seemingly short life, Ranma contemplated why he'd never actually flown. True, he'd been in the air briefly (relatively) with Akane Airlines, and a few times due to the other members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew, but he'd never actually flown. There was that time he'd slipped onto the airship, but that had been pretty short as well.

Looking at the rickety, abused airplane, Ranma knew why he'd never bothered with airplanes.

"I could probably fly farther than that thing," he mumbled as Thirteen inspected the aircraft.

"I assure you that this airplane is airworthy," the gynoid said flatly. "We should have enough fuel to Japan, though we probably won't have enough fuel to fly all the way to Mahora, we should get there before nightfall."

"Have you ever flown before?" Chun-Li asked, slightly skeptical of the silver haired gynoid.

"No," Thirteen replied. "But I've uploaded the instructions."

*****

The mid-morning light filled the small dining room. Excited at the prospect of the apparently imminent return of their former dorm manager, the girls chose not to address the pressing issue – the sudden disappearance of three martial artists who had become an integral part of the dormitory.

"So how long will it take him to get back?" Naru asked excitedly. Unconsciously she gazed around the dinner table, taking in the fact that the small table was had just one open spot with herself, Motoko, Mutsumi, Tsuruko, Su, Kanako, and Dr. Tofu taking up the rest of the seats.

"I'm not sure," Su replied as she wolfed down a mouthful of food. "I don't know fast his yacht is or now the weather may affect him. I'd say at least two weeks if everything goes alright. If they're sailing I'd say a month at least. But without the exact specifics about the yacht I can't say for sure.

"Even with the satellite that I high-jacked I can't tell where exactly he is. But with the satellite I we can communicate with him, though there is that time delay."

"We should probably just sit at the big table," Mutsumi suggested as she poured herself some juice. "He is bringing three others with him. Once they get here we'll have just as many people as we did when Ranma and the others were still here."

Everyone else around the table froze at the mention of the rogue survivors. No one wanted to talk about their decision to leave and how it affected them. Ranma's departure had left them weakened, but with Mousse, Ryoga, Ibuki, Motoko, Kanako, and Tsuruko around to they had felt secure in their ability to fend for themselves. But with Ryoga, Mousse and Ibuki leaving the remaining survivors were left with only three capable fighters, though none apparently on par with Ryoga and Ranma.

"We'll be fine without them," Motoko stated as she lifted her cup of juice to her lips. Taking a light sip she set it down. "We've already planted all the vegetables, and there are enough fish in the stream for us. And if needed Kanako and I can go hunting for some of the deer and wild boars that roam the island – we don't need them around to survive."

No one dared to say anything as no one knew what they really wanted to say.

Su, torn by the loss of so many new friends who had helped make the time much more interesting and who had helped her during her brief stay in the Kuno Compound, knew she couldn't dispute her long-time friend and companion. Not only would it probably put a damper on their relationship, but it could also affect everyone else's already unstable and stressed mentality. Having seen how things had gone down at the Kuno Compound, the usually energetic blond wondered if something similar might happen at the Hinata Sou.

For the auburn haired girl the incident between her and Ranma, where he nearly ravishing her, only to hold back because she'd been uncertain ran through her mind. If it had been Keitaro would she have been so uncertain? Would Kei have stopped if she asked? Would she feel different about Keitaro if she hadn't stopped Ranma? Had she been the reason that Ranma left? So many uncertain questions ran through her mind, and each answer/scenario just added to her mental and emotional turmoil.

Looking at her brother's 'promise girl' Kanako also had some mixed feelings. To the observant and mischievous young woman it had been clear that there had been some tensions between Ranma and Naru after the ankle incident. Considering that the two of them had disappeared so suddenly and the way they were acting afterwards had simply added fuel to belief that something had happened between the two. But what exactly happened she didn't know. Could she use this against Naru? Would it be worth doing? Or could she share her brother with the others? No, she could share, but could she share him with everyone here? Ranma and the young men leaving had definitely changed the playing field. She needed them back to increase her odds of getting Keitaro back and to keep him to herself. But she'd have to deal find a way to lure the Nerima fighters (and Ibuki) back, and how would she find them? Given Ranma's speed and skill he could be anywhere, hell, he could be in China for all she knew. He had been gone for nearly a week. And she wasn't sure that Ryoga and Mousse knew where the pigtailed boy was headed either.

Mulling things over, Kanako knew she'd have work on Su so that she could get access to the mad scientist's equipment. Maybe if she had access to a spy satellite or if the others had a GPS tracking unit on them… Maybe…

Gazing at her companions it was clear to the observant Mutsumi that everyone had mixed feelings and thoughts about, well, everything. As the resident Matron of the dormitory, the brunette knew that she'd have to talk with each of them individually to gage their feelings and thoughts and perhaps to put them at ease.

A glance from the elder Aoyama sibling told her that the swordswoman would be inquiring the same from the younger Aoyama, leaving just the good doctor to handle the everyday operations of the Hinata Sou.

*****

Ibuki wasn't sure what to make of the golden haired artificial human before her. If it had been human it would have been a real hunk, with its broad shoulders and well muscled chest. Blinking, she wondered if its creator had been a fan of Dragonball Z, as the android and appeared to look like one of the main characters, well, one of the fused characters at least.

"You're sure we can trust it?" Mousse asked as trailed beside the kunoichi.

"Yeah," she nodded.

On her two previous trips she hadn't encountered any of the robotic guardians of Mahora, though she had seen the one that had led Ranma, Tsuruko and Motoko to Library Island. True, she had only seen Seven from a distance, and Seven had been feminine, where as Ten was clearly designed to appear as though it were male. Did robots have a gender even?

Shaking her head she followed the android silently. With her eye on the path that it led them down, the ninja mentally mapped their course, just in case they needed to retrace their steps or beat a hasty retreat.

"You're not leading us down to the caverns?" Ibuki asked as she noted their course.

"No," Ten replied, not even bothering to stop as he ran ahead of them. "I am taking you down to the master; he requests your presence."

That had to be an improvement at least, especially considering that the last time she'd reached the large stairwell that lead to the cavern she'd been instantly bound then teleported back to the Hinata Sou, and the first time she'd descended down the stairs Ranma had tackled her off and into the hot water.

She'd never even seen the annoying mage who'd spelled her away. Having never faced a mage hoped that the few wards and tricks she'd learned would be enough if push came to shove; but given the track record of the mage so far she doubted that he'd be completely unwilling to listen to their pleas.

*****

Despite his martial arts prowess, what truly made Ranma dangerous was the fact that he needed to always be in motion. True, he had been able to sleep in class occasionally, and even stand in the hallway with several buckets of water, but he'd either been able to sleep or kept active somehow. After several minutes of sitting idly in the back of the small plane, Ranma understood why he had never flown before. With the tight confines and the loud engines, the pigtailed martial artist was not able to move around or sleep, severely limiting his options.

With Cammy assisting Thirteen in the front, Ranma was forced to sit in the back beside Chun-Li. Cramped, restless, and unable to actually sleep, the pigtailed boy fidgeted, disturbing the woman beside him.

"Never flown before?" Chun-Li shouted as she tried to make conversation with the young martial artist.

"Not unless you count being sent into flying from a hit," he shouted back.

Seeing the skeptical look on her face he smiled nervously, "You ever get hit hard enough to get sent flying?"

"How far have you gone?"

"Across the ward; sometimes into the neighboring ward."

"Seriously?"

"No," he replied, "only a couple of city blocks at most."

"Seriously?" Cammy shouted from the front.

"Seriously," Ranma answered with a nod.

"Just keep it down back there," the blond suggested as she turned to focus on the slowly ascending plane.

Taking Ranma's hand into hers, Chun-Li wrote another question, 'You get sent flying often?'

Blinking, Ranma tried to comprehend what she'd asked. Shaking his head, he waited for her to write it again, this time a bit slower. Finally understanding what she wrote he nodded before writing on her palm, 'Almost daily.'

Feeling her warm hand in his, her warm leg pressed against his, Ranma couldn't help but trace the outline of her form as she wrote another question on his palm. Waiting a moment to try and figure out what she'd written, he shook his head. Savoring the feel of her skin against his, Ranma tried to focus on what she was writing rather than the pleasant tingling in his hand and leg.

*****

The gentle glow of the artificial, magical light illuminated the castle. The fake sky mirrored the true sky despite being several kilometers below ground.

Standing before the mage on the deck Ryoga growled, "Ranma's cured but he didn't care to tell us?!"

"That bastard!" Mousse shouted as he cracked his knuckles. "When I see him…."

"Now, now," Albireo said, trying to calm the two cursed young men before him, "he wanted to come tell you but he didn't feel comfortable going back to the Hinata Sou. And of course he had to pay me back for the cure, so he's busy doing that task."

As the calmest of the three, Ibuki eyed the mage. "What's it's gonna take for you to cure them?"

Their ears picking up on the cure, the two young men stood tall as they looked at the mage.

With a smile Albireo glance at the two youths. "I will require two things of you," he stated calmly. "The first will be to escort a group of survivors to the Hinata Sou, and second, for you to remain at the Hinata Sou so long as that compound is secure."

"But," Ryoga began.

"We just left there," Mousse finished.

"I know," the mage smiled. "But I'm sure that they'll greet you with open arms once you bring back their missing manager."

"That Keitaro guy?" Mousse asked. Clearly he was the brains of the little threesome.

"Yes, Keitaro Urashima," Albireo clarified. "You will escort him and his companions from wherever they make landfall to the Hinata Sou. Once you return there you will stay at the Hinata Sou, and I will have the cure delivered to you."

Skeptical, Ryoga eyed the mage. "We are all men of our word, why not give us the cure and trust in our honor as warriors to uphold our end of the agreement?"

"If you were such honorable men why did you leave those women alone?" the mage countered.

"We didn't," Ryoga replied. "We left because we didn't want to become breeding stock for them. Yes, I understand that we all need to help restore humanity, but don't we get some say in who we want to be with and who should be the mother of our children?"

"Or father of my children?" Ibuki added, causing Mousse and Ryoga to blush a little.

Nodding, the mage smiled, "You're right. But why didn't you present your beliefs to Tsuruko and the others?"

"They won't listen," Mousse answered. "They treat us like kids just because they're older."

"Than I suggest you stop acting like children and grow up," Albireo shot back. "If you want them to regard as equals than start acting like you are their equals. Take a stand for your beliefs, don't run away like little children.

"I understand why Ranma felt the need to leave; he had made his thoughts known, but Tsuruko and Dr. Tofu obviously didn't think his objections overrode the need to repopulate the planet. The three of you just don't like being left out in the cold and didn't want to stay around. There's a big difference between what you three did and what Ranma did."

Even though she hated the fact that they were being scolded like little kids, Ibuki knew that the mage was right. They had skipped out simply because they felt unwanted. Hell, if not for Ryoga's lack of directional sense, the three of them would have spent as little time as possible around the Hinata Sou. As it was Mousse and Ibuki had spent much of their time away from the others either out foraging and hunting or on the roof alone and apart from everyone else except perhaps the doctor and Ryoga.

"You're right," the kunoichi admitted. "We'll need to make more of an effort to fit in once we get back."

The hidden weapons master nodded is agreement. "Yeah, I guess we'll have to try and get past those girls' anger issues," the nearsighted martial artist conceded. "Ryoga, how did you deal with Akane's temper?"

"Hehe," the bandana wearing boy chuckled as he scratched his head, "well, she never really took it out on me. There was this one time, when I first met her; that she slapped me, but aside from that, she's always been pretty nice to me. You'd probably have to ask Ranma how he dealt with it and do just the exact opposite."

"Great," Mousse groaned, "we have to rely on Ranma…. Where is he anyways?"

The trio of youths looked at the mage.

"He's on his way back from China," Albireo stated as he poured himself some tea. "He should be back with his new companions tonight."

Sipping at his tea the mage smiled as two gynoids arrived. "If you would follow Three and Five, they'll show you to your rooms."

*****

The loud chirping of the many birds as they bathed in the stream blended perfectly with the sound of the running water and the active fish as they all fed on the swarm of bugs that flew the man-made moat. Gone was the large, concrete entranceway and steps that had allowed the residents room to gaze at the large dormitory. Replaced by the large pond and water pumps that kept the water oxygenated, the watery boundary also kept the residents safe from any lingering Darkseekers that prowled the night.

Tired from a long night of trying to talk with Keitaro and fighting the other girls over the microphone, the auburn haired girl smiled faintly at the memory of her own admission of love for the missing dormitory manager. Leaning on the railing Naru closed her eyes, trying to picture Keitaro's be-speckled face as he smiled at her.

_It's been so long_, she mused. _If I knew then what I knew now I wouldn't have let you go to America_.

Lost in her thoughts and among the sound of birds chirping and water pumping down below, the auburn haired girl failed to notice the sound of footsteps on the wooden boards as Mutsumi approached her silently.

"'A penny for your thoughts'," the brunette asked in English with a smile as she leaned on the railing beside her childhood friend.

"What's a penny going for now?" Naru replied with a smile.

"I'm not sure," Mutsumi answered. "Then again, I'm sure that most monetary units have lost value."

Naru nodded. "Yeah, I forgot about that."

The two stood silently, enjoying the feel of the afternoon sun on their skin as they gazed down at the serene scene below.

"There's something that's been bothering you, hasn't there?" Mutsumi asked finally, breaking the pregnant silence.

Naru sighed. _Had it been that obvious?_ "Yeah."

"Wanna tell me about it?"

The auburn haired woman shrugged, "Not really. But I guess you won't let me go until I do."

"Of course not, and I won't hold anything against you either," the pretender said with all the sincerity she could muster. Having promised to talk with Naru about her problems, Kanako hadn't told the older woman that she'd be doing it as herself. "Did something happen between you and Ranma?"

Naru nodded. "Well, almost…"

"The day he brought you out of the baths?" Kanako asked in her best impersonation of Mutsumi.

Again Naru nodded. "We almost, did 'it'."

"Oh my!" Kanako exclaimed in true Mutsumi fashion. True, the supposedly airheaded brunette hadn't said something like that since she'd slept with Dr. Tofu, but that was perhaps only a lull. "How far did you go?"

"Third base," the supposedly younger woman replied.

"Um, third base?" Though she knew what that phrase meant, she knew that Mutsumi didn't.

"First base is kissing."

"Which you've done with Keitaro, right?"

Naru blushed as she nodded. "Second is getting underneath the clothes and…" she mumbled, "fondling," she said in a tiny voice. "Third is getting completely naked."

"Oh my!" Kanako exclaimed, again in her best impression of Mutsumi. "Is he really hung like a horse?"

Though she thought it impossible, Naru turned an even brighter shade of red as she nodded. Having caught a glimpse of him in the baths the girls knew that he was probably the largest of the young men, but to see it, well, hard and fully grown… it was almost as intimidating as his martial arts prowess when compared to hers.

"I can see why you would have stopped," Mutsumi/Kanako stated. "And you went that far even though you'd never done 'it' with Keitaro…"

Naru quickly blanched. Feeing a supportive hand on her shoulder she looked up at Mutsumi.

"I just want you to be happy," Mutsumi/Kanako said. "If it's with Keitaro or with Ranma, either way I want you to be happy."

*****

"Bless you," Cammy shouted from the front of the plane as Ranma shook off the effects of the series of sneezes.

"Thanks," he replied as he felt his head clear as the lightheaded sensation that he always got when he sneezed faded. Clearing his nasal passage, he blinked. _That's kind_… Looking at his hand his eyes bulged as he noted where it had come to rest.

Though she had been startled at his violent sneeze, Chun-Li found herself more startled at the convenient place his hand had come to rest as a result of the sudden and uncontrollable spasm. His warm, strong yet gentle right hand had somehow managed to slip under the hem of her high-silted dress and was now resting at the warm and soft junction where her legs came together.

Flinching, Ranma instinctively pulled back, only to feel her firm hand latch onto his wrist, guiding his hand to her exposed thigh.

Leaning towards him she smiled even as she blushed. 'Tonight' she wrote on the back of his hand.

*****

A/N

I'm going to leave it at that for now.

As I've previously mentioned the rough timeline of things for the SF crew, I must note that I'm not exactly sure the ages of Cammy, Juli, Juni, Ibuki, and Chun-Li. My best guess at SF3 is that it happened 5-8 years after SF2, but I might be wrong. I'm leaning towards 5 years, but since this fic is before SF3, I'd guess that Cammy is 22 (she was 19 during SSF2), Chun-Li is in 27, Juli is 22, Juni is 23, and Ibuki is 15.

Ranma, Ryoga, and Mousse are roughly 17 (I'm guessing they were 16 when the manga ended and it's been nearly a year since then).

As for the Love Hina group, they're as old as they are when manga finishes (pre-wedding of course).

Dreamingfox


	21. Chapter 21

Author's Notes –

No more disclaimers – I posted them on the first ten chapters or so of the fic. I hope you're not that ignorant of ownership issues with this fic if you've been reading it this long.

I feel obligated to state that with the start of the NFL season (Go Packers! Boo Farve – the traitor! Damned Vi-Queens…), my many fantasy football leagues/teams (4-0, 3-1, 3-1, 2-2, and 1-3 between my 5 teams so far), the start of the new season for House (is House really going to get 13 and Taub back?) and Grey's Anatomy (Don't really know what to say), as well as the new show Fast Forward (hmmm… the cross-over potential there….), and the extra workouts that I need to do to get back in shape (well, I have a shape, just not a good one…), loyal readers shouldn't expect such frequent updates as I've done in the past. For the handful of you who follow this fic, I'm sure you noticed how much time passed between chapter 19 and 20, it didn't help that there was the big Monday night game (damn traitor!). Still, I had to watch House over the Pack.

That said, I have been thinking over a few crossovers for when this fic ends, though I'm not sure when this one will end. Too much to think about for now – I just have to wait until the end of the football season.

*****

A foul stench filled ruined and vacant street, testament to the horrors that had been inflicted upon the wretched and weak Darkseekers. Despite their strength the creatures were simply too weak to stand up to him. Even with greater numbers on their side he had killed all of the dozen or so creatures.

Taking in the smell of carnage and death, he looked up at the plane flying overhead. Sensing the powerful but passive ki of the individuals he knew that they were fighters, they had to be to survive this long. But something about their ki auras called out to him. The three together would be formidable, but individually only one of them truly stood out.

Though he craved a good challenge, he knew that he would find them eventually, if they still lived. Japan was an island nation after all.

*****

Fighting back his initial panic, Ranma forced himself to act calmer and cooler than he really was. Soul of Ice, Soul of Ice, he repeated subconsciously. If I show fear or panic now she's going to think I'm just a reckless kid. I gotta show her how mature I can be, that I can handle this. Licking his lips he nodded at Chun-Li's written question.

"We're gonna land this thing soon," Cammy shouted from the front. "There's a football field not too far from here that we're going to try landing on."

Nodding, Ranma smiled at Chun-Li. Clutching her hand in his, he sat patiently as the plane descended, then touched down and finally slowed down and stopped.

Relieved that the long flight was over, and that the he could finally get out and stretch his legs, Ranma looked up at the mid afternoon sky. Arching his back and rolling his neck, he made sure that all his muscles were up for the short jog to Library Island. "Wow, we made it a lot further than I expected," he exclaimed as he looked at the giant tree in the distance.

Thirteen nodded. "We are still a hundred minutes from Library Island," the gynoid stated. "I am not accounting for your usual path though."

Slowly bobbing his head, Ranma agreed. Uncertain of how well Cammy and Chun-Li were at roof hopping, the younger man accepted those numbers. Besides, they had gotten here much sooner than he had expected.

*****

Staring at the monitor before her Tsuruko wasn't surprised by the news her brother's former traveling companion had given her. As the defacto head of the Hinata Sou, and the only one who really knew the mage, the elder Aoyama swordswoman had been forced to deal with the unpleasant man.

"They should be back in a week or two," Albireo said with a fake smile. "I'll dispatch the three of them to retrieve the Urashima boy and his companions, that way you won't have to send anyone else out to get them, and then they'll stay at the Hinata Sou afterwards."

"And why would they wish to stay after that?" she asked. "They've already run once, what's to keep them from running again?"

"Their honor," the mage replied, "they are honorable martial artists after all. They left there because they felt that they weren't wanted. If your sister is any indication of how the others feel, I would say that they aren't unjustified in their beliefs."

Tsuruko scowled, only to draw a chuckle from the mage.

"I'm sure that after two weeks or so those girls are going to miss the company of some decent young men. Or they'll just wait for Urashima to get back and ravish the fortunate young man," he smirked. "I can't imagine a more pleasant way to go.

"Regardless, they have promised to stay for at least two weeks once they return; the rest is up to you and your girls. If I can I'll try and send Saotome and his new companions to the Hinata Sou as well. He'll probably be much more willing now that he doesn't have to be a baby factory."

"Tsk, he told you that did he?" she asked, recalling the argument that the pigtailed martial artist had with the good doctor. "You know that that's what we'll need to do if we can't find a cure for the virus."

"Along with killing all those Darkseekers?" the mage countered. "I may not know much about Ranma, but I know that he would find that unacceptable. To him they are innocents who were harmed far more than any of the survivors have been. Killing a Darkseeker is tantamount to killing a normal person. He would never let you do that. I'm sure he would be willing to physically intervene if needed."

"I can"

"No, you can't," Albireo said abruptly, cutting her off. "You've yet to see Ranma's full potential. Only Mousse, Ryoga, and perhaps the good doctor have, but that was before everything happened. Now, now Ranma's a completely different person. Even with your ki attacks and blade, I doubt that you and your sister would be able to beat him.

"If you and I were to fight right now you know that you'd lose to me," he explained. "But if I were to face Ranma right now I doubt that I could win. He's that good. Even your brother would be hard pressed to beat him. Do you really want to fight someone like him every time you come across a Darkseeker?

"Oh, and by the way, scowls really don't become you."

Glaring daggers at her brother's friend she forced a smile to her lips. "Perhaps I have been a bit harsh on him and the others," she conceded. "I guess I'll have to talk to everyone about it tonight."

*****

The smell of finely grilled fish and freshly made white rice made the young man's stomach rumble. Sitting across from his former rivals and with the ladies, he contemplated the task at hand. "So you're saying that for you to cure Ryoga and Mousse, all of us have to go back to the Hinata Sou?"

"Yes," the mage replied. "From what I can tell you are the largest group of survivors in all of Japan. There might be a few individuals, but from what I can tell you're pretty much all that's left of Japan, and China."

"It kinda takes away from the fact that we left in the first place," Mousse stated as he poked at the grilled fish on his plate.

"You mean why Ranma left in the first place," the mage corrected, "you three left because you didn't like the being left out of the big click that revolved around the original residents of the Hinata Sou."

"What made you leave?" Cammy asked as she turned to look at Ranma.

"Well, you have to understand that before I left for China I had this curse that turned me into a girl when I was splashed with cold water," Ranma explained as he poked at his meal. "Dr. Tofu went on about how it was our responsibility as survivors to repopulate the country and rebuild society. Long story short, he wanted all of us to essentially start making babies and since I was a girl part of the time he wanted me to help bear the burden of giving birth to the next generation."

"That's awful," Chun-Li exclaimed. "Pregnancy and giving birth to children shouldn't be a job! It's an emotional experience between mother and child, and between the parents. By forcing others to breed you'd be saying that they are no better than animals! We're human beings, capable of making decisions for ourselves!"

"She right," Cammy interrupted. "We are not just breeding stock. Regardless of the losses that humanity has had, no one has a right to force their ideals and beliefs on others. And no one has the right to tell me or anyone to have children just so humanity can survive!"

Holding up his hand politely, the mage nodded. A warm smile on his lips formed as he took a deep, relaxing breath. "I agree. That is why I offered Ranma sanctuary here. I've known Lady Aoyama for a long time, and though she has the best of intentions, she can often be misguided. I believe that sending all of you to the Hinata Sou would be best not only for all of you, but for her as well. While Ranma, Ryoga, Mousse, and Ibuki are impassioned youths, they lack the maturity and emotional fortitude to handle a strong-willed woman like Tsuruko. But with an 'adult' like you two present I'm sure that they will be able to learn to stand up for themselves by following your example."

"Why can't we just stay here?" Ryoga grumbled.

Albireo smiled. "Because there are not enough supplies to comfortably house all of you for an extended period of time," he replied. "Even with all the gynoids and androids working non-stop we would run out of food long before the winter. And you've already set up the Hinata Sou to be self-sufficient by planting vegetables, creating an area for wild animals for you to hunt, and there is plenty of room for all of you there."

Glasses in hand, Mousse began to wipe them off as he addressed his companions, "He's right. We put in a lot of work back there; I'd hate to see it go to waste just because they're not capable of handling things without us."

*****

"What?!" Motoko shouted as she slammed her hands onto the table. "They're coming back?!"

"Yes," Tsuruko replied, her eyes closed and a simple smile on her lips as she stirred her tea. "Though not right away, Ranma and the others will be returning in a couple of weeks. And they won't be alone – they'll be bringing some other survivors back with them. They've also agreed to help escort Keitaro and his group of survivors back to the Hinata Sou, wherever he ends up landing."

"But-"

"If we send out a party to escort them we would be stretching ourselves thin," Dr. Tofu said, cutting off the auburn haired girl's objections. "Besides, Ranma, Ryoga, and Mousse are the best candidates for being out there as they are perhaps the best fighters out of all of us. They've shown that they can handle themselves against Darkseekers without getting injured, something only Tsuruko has been able to do with great difficultly thus far."

The younger Aoyama swordswoman huffed. She hated being reminded that Ranma and the others were supposedly better than she was.

Kanako repressed a smile. The news of Ranma's return worked to her advantage as it could distract Naru from Keitaro. Ryoga and Mousse could also provide a distraction to the other girls as well.

Having informed Mutsumi of her talk with Naru, Kanako wasn't surprised to find Mutsumi shooting glances at the auburn haired young woman. Clearly Naru was conflicted already at just the news of Ranma and Keitaro's return to the Hinata Sou. If she could play her cards right, this would definitely work to her advantage.

*****

The long day was finally over. Though Keitaro had initially woken up with much excitement at the prospect of returning to the Hinata Sou (and to Naru who had finally admitted her love for him) the former ronin couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. While she had waited patiently and faithfully for him, he had strayed. True, it had been stressful for him since he'd left Japan, especially as she had not told him how she felt about him at the time, but also with the entire situation with the Krippin Virus and all that had happened since.

Looking at the exposed back of the naked blond that gently slumbered in his, no, their bed, Keitaro couldn't help but contemplate his own feelings, not just for Naru, but for Tina and the others. He'd nearly married Motoko, and despite his feelings for Naru, he knew that if she hadn't been there he probably would have been happy with Motoko. And then Mutsumi…. He'd long thought that she was the promise girl and had felt strongly for her, but her recent admission that it wasn't her and that it was in fact Naru who he had made the promise to (and who she had promised to go to Todai with a year later to help remind Naru of her promise to Keitaro) had increased his affection and love for the busty brunette. But seeing as how she was now with the Doctor, who ever he was, and sharing him with the recently widowed Tsuruko….

That just put another kink into everything. With the few males around, it was possible that he and the doctor would be split between the girls, a prospect that Keitaro really didn't mind. But still, he needed to clear the air with Naru. She had to know.

Given the time delays between them, Keitaro knew what he needed to do. Slipping out of his cabin, he clutched the digital recorder they'd found on the yacht and headed for the bridge and the radio.

*****

Dinner had proven to be much more subdued than he had expected. Though it had started out slightly awkwardly with the introductions and then the discussion regarding why they had left the Hinata Sou, the rest of the meal had been rather pleasant. Sure, he had traded friendly snipes with his former rivals, but it had been in jest. With the fiancée brigade out of the way, the pigtailed boy found that he really could get along much better with his former rivals.

"So you never found the Darkseekers on the island?" he asked Ibuki as Mousse and Chun-Li were speaking in rapid Mandarin.

"Yeah, they're pretty elusive," the kunoichi said as she stole glances over at Mousse and Chun-Li. "We tracked them to roughly the forest, but that's about as far as we got."

Head bobbing, Ranma resisted the urge to simply wolf down the food before him. It really was hard to fight the ingrained response despite the absence of his father. Grabbing a slice of raw octopus with his chopsticks he set it in the brownish mixture before setting it on the shredded radish.

"I thought you said you had enough fish when you swam to China?" Cammy asked as she eyed to pigtailed martial artist.

Wolfing down the bite, he chewed his food then washed it down with cool water before smiling at the blond, "Yeah, but that was octopus. I didn't run into one of those while swimming. And quality tuna like this you're not gonna find by just swimming; you've gotta use a net to get something like that. But I did have enough of the flying fish." Sighing contently, he set his chopsticks down. "I'm good," he stated. "Thanks for the grub."

The mage smiled as he stirred his tea, "You're welcome Ranma. I see you have a healthy appetite as always."

The large plates before the pigtailed boy were testament to the vast quantities of food he had consumed. "Hey, I really didn't eat much on the way to China, and I really didn't have time to do any hunting or fishing before coming back either."

"I think if he weren't feeding you, there'd be enough food to last a year or two," Ryoga smirked as he cautiously set his glass of water down.

"Yeah, yeah," Ranma shrugged with a smile, "with you around I'm sure there will always be plenty of pork chops and bacon left untouched, right bacon breath?"

"Hmmm, bacon sounds great!" Ibuki exclaimed. "Are we having that for breakfast?"

Mousse choked, nearly spitting out his mouthful of food onto Chun-Li.

"You really turn into a black piglet?" Cammy asked as she eyed the pitcher of cold water before her then glanced at Ryoga.

"And you turn into a duck?" Chun-Li asked in perfect Japanese as she glanced at Mousse.

"So Mousse and Ryoga would provide lots of roast duck and pork chops," Ibuki deadpanned.

The former Street Fighters shuddered as they both imagined ducks and pigs with the two respective boy's faces on them.

"That's why we were eating seafood," Ranma added as Chun-Li and Cammy both looked at the empty plates before them. "Only Akane eats pork around Ryoga, and, well, Mousse wasn't as lucky. I think the old ghoul and Shampoo even threatened to cook him for dinner."

"Hey, your old man almost made me his dinner once," Ryoga growled. "But Shampoo and Cologne nearly did that to me as well."

"And dinner is over," Ranma stated as he piled his dishes.

"I'll have the gynoids handle the dishes," Albireo said with a smile. "Why don't you take your guests to their rooms? I'm sure that Seven and Thirteen can help them find more clothes to wear."

*****

Stunned silence filled Su's command room, broken only by the static from the amplified short wave radio. Of the assembled girls – Motoko, Naru, Kanako, and Su - none of them knew what to make of Keitaro's message.

"I'm sorry," Keitaro's voice finally cut in, breaking the pregnant silence. "I'm going to bed."

No one dared to say anything, leaving only the silence as their answer.

"Night, Keitaro," Su finally said, breaking away from the other girls.

Aside from Seta, Keitaro was the only man that Motoko and Naru had remotely looked up to. Despite his pervy ways, Keitaro had always managed to resist temptation around them… yet he had caved in with the American floozy.

She didn't know how, but Naru found herself locked in her room. Gazing at the tiny Ludokun, she instinctively grabbed it and threw it into the closet. Clutching her pillow, she sobbed into it in hopes of keeping her pain to herself rather than broadcasting it to the other residents.

_I showed restraint, didn't I? When Ranma saw me naked in the bath and then brought me up here I showed exceptional restraint. Even Ranma, young and immature as he was, had restrained himself. _

_So why couldn't Keitaro do the same? Why couldn't he keep himself under control? He'd done so in the last few weeks before he left for America, but why couldn't he do it until he came back to Japan and the girl that he loved and who loved him? _

*****

"Bless you," Chun-Li said as she turned to eye her companion.

"Thanks," the pigtailed martial artist replied, shaking his head. "Man, someone's gotta be talking about me."

Returning her smile, he couldn't help but eye her in her new outfit – a blue silk sleeveless Chinese button up vest-like shirt over a silk, purple sleeveless and backless Chinese dress accented with green embroidery alone the seams that mimicked the stem of a flower with leaves for the button holes and a lovely red rose embroidered on the breast, the master of Anything Goes Martial Arts couldn't help but admire her sense of style. With her long, dark brown locks down covering her bare back she was truly breath taking.

"Wow, you really make that dress look good," he stated as she opened the door wider for him.

"Thank you," she smiled back as she took hold of his hand. "Come on in."

Feeling underdressed when compared to the elegant woman before him the young martial artist followed her into her temporary room.

Carved out of marble or granite, the spacious room had a its own bath, a large bed, a high ceiling, and a large open balcony as well as large double doors that Ranma knew lead to a suite that it shared with Cammy's room.

"Why don't you have a seat in the suite?" Chun-Li suggested as she lead him towards the large double doors. "I guess that I got a bit carried away when I saw this dress."

"Hey, it looks good on you," Ranma replied.

Smiling warmly she leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Thanks again," she said as she pulled away. "Give me a minute to change into something more comfortable."

As though his body had simply responded to her suggestion, Ranma found himself seated on the unsurprisingly comfortable couch. The large aquarium full of exotic fish separated the room from the hallway outside provided him with some distraction as he watched the interactions of the many different fish while they swam around each other and occasionally chased each other.

"Hey Ranma," Cammy greeted as she emerged from the large double doors that lead to her room.

Turning around, Ranma blinked as he took in the British MI-6 agent in her skin-tight silver thong leotard. "Hey," he finally said.

"So you're here to spar?" she asked as she eyed the pigtailed boy. Though he wore his normal attire of loose black pants and red silk shirt, it he had been in the same outfit when he'd pulled her out of the Shadowloo base.

"Spar?" he repeated.

"Yes, spar," Chun-Li's voice cut in as she entered the large suit from her room. "What else are we going to do to pass the time?"

Wearing an embroidered blue vest over a skin-tight blue sleeveless body suit she was definitely a sight to behold as the suit left little to the imagination.

"It's still early and we've got plenty of time, right?" Chun-Li said with a smile as she confidently strode into the room. Her walk suddenly became a full charge as she sprang forward forcing Ranma on the defensive.

Leaping back, the pigtailed boy absently noted the feel of Cammy's slender arms wrapping around his stomach. Feeling her firm breasts pressed against his back as she locked on the hold he knew that he was in trouble.

Using his momentum the MI-6 agent lifted him over her head only to feel them go airborne as Ranma kicked off of the ground hard with one leg.

Chun-Li watched as the pair flew towards the opposite wall as they twisted in the air. Somehow Ranma managed to swing Cammy around before he landed on the wall then kicked off and launched himself directly at her. Stopping her charge she planted her feet then lashed out with a powerful kick.

The feel of her foot connecting with something brought a grin to her face, only for it to be wiped off at the sight of Ranma deftly parrying the kick and using the force behind it to propel him back into the air. Shooting off her rapid fire kicks, the Chinese woman watched as Ranma managed to defy logic and floated in the air as he defended himself from the powerful but lightning quick kicks.

Smiling confidently, Ranma noted that Cammy had finally regained her feet after sliding down the wall. Snaking his hand past a powerful high, high kick, he grabbed hold of Chun-Li's leg and pulled himself towards her, throwing her off balance as he did so. With a firm hold of her ankle he lashed out with a quick sweep, knocking the older woman down before side-stepping Cammy's unusual twisting feet-forward kick.

This was going to be fun.

*****

The cursed blade called out to the young swordswoman even as it lay sheathed and tethered to the wall. Since gaining and sealing the cursed Hina Blade the Shinmeiryuu swordswoman had yet to feel any dark desires, yet today it called out to her, demanding that she satisfy its desire for blood.

But was it really the blade calling out to her or was it merely a part of her that wanted to let loose with the sword? Though she knew that Keitaro loved Naru and not her, IT would have been fine if the woman had been Naru, as he had clearly loved her, but for him to sleep with another woman… it made her blood boil. Not only had he failed to prove his love for Naru, he had betrayed the trust of all the women at the Hinata Sou.

_Damn! Where the hell were those insufferable men when I needed to beat someone up? _

*****

An odd weight seemed to press down on the lithe young woman's frame, dragging her down to her futon and pinning her there, leaving her to simply stare up at the ceiling overhead. Though she had schemed to drive a divide between her (adoptive) brother and the other girls, Kanako had never thought that he would be the one to essentially stab those girls in the back. If he could so easily disregard his promise to Narusagawa (the evil promise girl) what would he do about his promise to her? True, it had only been a promise to run the Hinata Sou together, but still, it meant a lot to the adopted girl to be accepted into the family and have someone care about her.

He was supposed to be stronger than that.

"If you wanted someone strong than you should have gone for Saotome or Hibiki," Kuro said offhandedly.

Scowling, Kanako reached over and picked up her faithful and loyal pet. Setting the black cat on her breast, she began to gently stroke the tiny creature. "That's a different kind of strength," she finally replied.

"I know," Kuro replied before licking her master's face. "But they do possess that kind of strength as well. Consider how much stronger those two are to the rest of you – if they had wanted to I'm sure that they could have forced themselves on any of you. And Saotome did restrain himself with Narusagawa."

"But she told him no," the ventriloquist replied.

"True, but he didn't get there alone," the cat shot back. "Does he strike you as the type to force himself onto someone? Do you think that Narusagawa wouldn't have said 'no' sooner if she really was against it or that she wouldn't have been screaming if he was forcing himself onto her? It's more likely that she wanted it as much as he did at first but then had doubts and said 'no'.

"Both of them are apparently stronger than Keitaro."

"But what about Saotome and that Ukyo girl?" Kanako countered.

"They were engaged," Kuro shot back.

"But he had three fiancées!"

"And she was his longest and oldest friend. He did love her, though he may not have been in love with her," the cat replied. "Though there is a difference he still felt strongly for and about her. Given our current circumstances loving someone could well be all you need to form a strong bond with someone before you become intimate with them."

Kanako blinked. That just didn't sound right. How could she make love to someone that she wasn't in love with? True, she might love them, but would that be enough for her?

"No, I'm not saying that you give yourself to someone," the cat said before licking her paws. "I'm saying that you don't need to be in love with someone to make love (or have sex) with them."

"'Them'?"

Kuro looked her in the eyes. "Them. Not him or her, but them. You know you like that Aoyama girl. I'm sure she wouldn't mind sharing the Saotome boy with you, or even just sharing her bed with you in general."

Kanako blanched. _What the hell was she saying? Where the hell did that come from?_

"I say enjoy your time together," Kuro advised. "You're young, you only live once, and with the dangers that you all face why not indulge in some good, clean fun when you can? Or do you think you can wait two weeks or so for the boys to come back?"

*****

"Ah, that feels so good," Chun-Li exclaimed as she lowered herself into the hot tub. "Nothing like a good soak after a hard workout."

Ranma nodded as he watched the beautiful Chinese martial artist approach him only to stop and turn around before settling in before him. With her long hair wrapped in another towel, her sleek and smooth back was completely exposed to him as she leaned back and handed him her towel. Taking it he set it down on the lip of the hot tub even as Cammy joined them in the spacious tub.

_Soul of ice, soul of ice_, he repeated mentally as his eyes took in every delicious curve on the petit blonde's body. After a long but enjoyable sparring session the trio had retreated to Chun-Li's room to enjoy the hot tub together to ease their aching muscles. Even though he faired much better than the older women, he had to admit that they were good. Better than Shampoo or any of the girls he knew in fact, though they lacked Rogue's power, then again, he lacked Rogue's power.

Sitting completely naked in the hot water, Ranma reached out and began to massage Chun-Li's back and shoulders.

"Hmmm," she purred, leaning back so that her back was nearly against his bare chest.

Feeling her soft yet firm buttocks pressed against his steadily growing erection, Ranma gulped as Chun-Li looked over her shoulder and smiled at him.

"Patience," she suggested as she put her hand on his thigh. "Take your time and enjoy every single moment, you never know when you'll get to enjoy them again."

*****

A/N

I think I'll just leave things where they're at for now.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	22. Chapter 22

Author's Notes –

No more disclaimers – I posted them on the first ten chapters or so of the fic. I hope you're not that ignorant of ownership issues with this fic if you've been reading it this long.

Expect at least one update per month with this fic. If you've followed my other fics you'll know that I'm currently pumping out a lot of chapters for that fic as well as that I've actually slowed down the updates as it is now NFL Season and Fantasy Football Season too. It's a bye week for the Pack, but Pittsburg and Indy are still playing, and I have to keep an eye on Kerry Collins (who is backing up Rodgers who is on bye, I trust Big Ben to get the job done while Rodgers is on Bye too, he is going up against Detroit).

*****

Warm, smooth flesh and the scent of melons and soap greeted Ranma as he woke. The bright artificial magical light that illuminated the castle and mimicked the natural sunlight told him that it was probably just after 7am. Though he himself had not been a morning person, the past few months had slowly changed his sleeping pattern. Forced to make the most of the light he had learned to wake up at the drop of a hat and his body had learned to stir earlier in the morning. No longer content to simply sleep in, he found himself waking earlier and earlier, though still not as early as the sun.

Gentle kisses to Chun-Li's bare neck and to Cammy's bare shoulder as he crawled over her signaled his departure from the warm, comfortable bed. Sighing at the fact that they were both naked yet had done little more than cuddle and kiss the previous night, Ranma couldn't help but feel satisfied with his relationship with both Cammy and Chun-Li. True, he had done little more than see them naked, though there was some fondling, caressing, kissing and general exploring of each other's bodies, but nothing beyond that. Both of the older women had expressed a desire to get to know him first before going all the way (as well as proving that he wasn't just rushing into things). Some nights he stayed with both of them, though occasionally he slept alone.

It had been nearly two weeks since their return to Albireo's underground castle but between sparring with the women and his former rivals and then evenings with Chun-Li and Cammy, Ranma was truly enjoying himself.

"Hmmm," Chun-Li purred as she watched Ranma dress.

"Sleep well?" he asked even though he knew the answer.

"Of course," the Chinese martial artist replied. "See you later."

"Bye," Cammy added as she sat up, clutching the thin summer blanket to her perky breasts.

Smiling, he waved as he finished dressing. Silently he rushed out of the bedroom before heading up to his room. Today would be their last day in Mahora and with Albireo as they would set out for wherever to get the Urashima guy and his wayward survivors the next morning. As such Ranma needed to finish packing his few belongings before they departed.

*****

The daily meals had become an uncomfortable event at the Hinata Sou as the remaining Hinata Sou girls refused to talk with each other. Sure, Su was always upbeat and energetic, but it was clear to those who cared (Dr. Tofu, Tsuruko, and Mutsumi) that it was forced and had only lasted for a few days. It had been nearly two weeks since Keitaro had informed the girls of his intimate relationship with the other woman. Only the occasional update from the former dorm manager came through, each one following a rough day on the ocean or whenever something eventful had occurred. And still the girls had yet to reply.

As the girls shuffled out of the dining room and back to their individual rooms Mutsumi, Tsuruko and Dr. Tofu remained behind as they tended to the dishes and leftovers of the bland breakfast.

"This is nearly as bad as when it came out that Akane had slept with Ryoga and then that Ranma and Ukyo had slept together," Tofu stated as he gathered the half-eaten food. "It's a good thing not everyone here is a high level martial artist or else heads would be rolling."

Tsuruko eyed her lover over the slight. True, she was perhaps not at Ranma's level, but she was sure that she could handle Mousse and Ryoga individually. "Thankfully we haven't trained ourselves to the point of insanity," she shot back.

"I'm beginning to wonder," the doctor retorted.

"We're supposed to be the adults," Mutsumi stated, stepping between the two 'adults'. "We're the ones the others are supposed to look up to, the ones who set a proper example for them. Fighting amongst ourselves solves nothing."

The others backed down, though they refused to look at each other.

"We should prepare for the worst," Dr. Tofu stated as he adjusted his glasses.

"Are you saying that my sister and the others are going to overreact when Keitaro Urashima gets here?" the swordswoman asked as she glanced at the man.

"No," he replied, "but we should prepare for the worst, just in case. Who knows how they'll react to Urashima when he gets here. I've already seen how violent Narusagawa and your sister are, and although they individual are not as strong or dangerous as Akane, there are two of them. Kanako though is a mystery. I'm not sure what to expect from her."

The busty brunette nodded. "We'll have a talk with the girls again," she stated as she looked at the swordswoman. "Things will need to be aired out or else it will only get worse."

*****

Stealing sideways glances at his long-time rival, Ryoga couldn't help but think that something was off about the pigtailed boy. Sure, he had the same confident yet loose stride, but something about him was different. True, they all cut back on the verbal jabs since there were no more fiancées to fight over, but it was more than that.

"What's up?" the pigtailed martial artist asked as he caught the bandana wearing rival looking him over.

Standing tall, Ryoga decided to be as frank as possible. "You've changed," he stated. "You used to be such an egotistical punk that being around you just irked me."

"Yeah," Mousse seconded as he stored more weapons up his sleeve.

"Is that a chainsaw?" Ranma asked as he eyed the unusual weapon choice, even for Mousse that was odd.

"Yeah," the master of hidden weapons replied. "But quite deflecting: you've changed."

Head tilted, Ranma considered the statement. "Yeah, I guess so."

"See," Mousse said as he stood up, "that's one a perfect example of it – you paused and actually thought about your answer. The old you would have just spouted off or made some offhanded remark. You're not spouting off automatically like you used to, now you're actually thinking about what you have to say."

Blinking, Ranma wondered when he'd stopped being so lippy.

"What happened to you?" Ryoga asked. "I think you grew up."

"Yeah," Ranma replied. "Now if only the two of you could grow up I wouldn't be all alone."

"Hey!" both of his former rivals shouted as they playfully threw their dirty clothes at him.

Smirking, Ranma spotted the perfect weapon to launch his counter attack. Ducking under a barrage of socks, he deftly grabbed the desired article of clothing and pulled off the tags. Bunching them up, he threw them at his rivals.

Just as expected the tiny balls of scrunched up fabric expanded as the air as Ryoga and Mousse were preparing to dodge. The sight of lacy black panties flying at them stopped them dead in their tracks, preventing them from dodging and allowing the silk undergarments to land on them.

"See?" Ranma asked as he smiled confidently at his rivals.

"That's not fair!" Ryoga shouted. "You're a"

"Girl half the time?" Ranma suggested. "But I'm not any more. Just because I was a girl half the time didn't stop you from attacking me, right? But I could use it to stop you whenever I flashed you, right?"

Ryoga grumbled.

"The problem I had back then was that even though I turned into a girl half the time, I'd treat girls like girls," Ranma stated. "If they were martial artists I'd still treat them like girls instead of seeing them as martial artists. I held back against Konatsu because I thought he was a girl, I didn't hold back with Ukyo when I thought she was a guy, and I held back against Shampoo and Kodachi because they were girls. Hell, Mousse held back against Shampoo when he's easily out of her league.

"That's just how immature we all were back then, and that's why things fell apart at Kuno's," Ranma explained. "If we were more mature we could have handled everything without having things turn out the way they did."

Ryoga nodded.

"The problem with all of us was that we often saw someone as a prize that we could win," the pigtailed boy elaborated. "Kuno did the same thing, and so did the girls. Hell, even Cologne did, and she's ancient. Many of the adults around us – pops, Mr. Tendo, the principal, and virtually everyone else treated us as things, not as people."

The others sat silently, slowly soaking in Ranma's insight.

"When the hell did you get so… serious?" Ryoga asked.

"Or who did you do to get so serious?" Mousse insinuated.

Ranma blushed slightly. "Honestly, I didn't sleep with anyone for that insight. Though to be honest, Ukyo and I did, you know, before everything fell apart at the Kuno's."

"So you haven't done anything with Cammy or Chun-Li?" the nearsighted young man asked.

"Nothing I'm going to tell either of you about," the pigtailed boy grinned. "They've just been working on getting me to be more mature. They don't want some reckless kid who's just going to charge into everything; they want someone that'll be around for the long term, not just a one night thing.

"And honestly, I don't want someone who's going to belt me to the moon every time they find me in a really bad position or situation, and who doesn't mind sharing me with other women. Seriously, there's something nice about having understanding women around.

"But what about you and Ibuki?" the pigtailed boy asked as he turned to face his nearsighted rival.

*****

A gentle breeze caressed the young woman's face as she stood in the small clearing. Though the Hinata Sou had plenty of fresh food due in part to the swordswoman having killed a deer the other day, Motoko had used the excuse that she needed to go hunting to get away from the others. Having hunted the area over the past few days the younger Aoyama knew that she'd have little success in that area.

Finding a clear patch of grass, the swordswoman knelt down as she tried to calm her unsettled emotions and mind. It didn't help that Mutsumi was doing the majority of the laundry today the kendoka was forced to wear her high school uniform and its dreadful skirt which was not designed for running through the woods. But it wasn't the short skirt that bothered her - it was the fact that Keitaro had… Thinking about him with another woman made her feel an unhealthy desire to kill something – the same feeling she had when she'd killed the unfortunate deer the other day.

A slight rustling confirmed what she'd felt – she wasn't alone.

"Killer intent?" a familiar though unwanted voice asked as Kanako stepped out onto the clearing. "I thought that you Shinmeiryuu weren't supposed to have killer intent?"

"A true master of the Shinmeiryuu blade must always contain her emotions, never letting them control her," Motoko stated. "Thus the reason why I'm here to meditate – to clear my mind and soul."

"I have a better idea," the lithe woman stated as she walked over to Motoko, "fight me."

Motoko blinked. "What?" she asked skeptically.

"Fight me," Kanako repeated. "Work out your aggression with me. Who else is there that can go toe to toe with you aside from your sister? And we'll be able to test our skills as well as push ourselves, correct?"

Taking a moment to absorb and consider the other woman's words Motoko bowed her head, conceding the point as she stood up. "So be it," she replied. "I'll hold nothing back."

"Nor will I," Kanako smiled as she slipped into a casual Urashima stance.

Springing to her feet Motoko unsheathed her blade as she unleashed a high pressure air attack, catching her opponent off guard. Watching as Kanako barely dodged the blow and as a large rip opened the lithe woman's blouse, Motoko charged ahead. Another powerful slash cut down the tree behind Kanako even as the lithe woman slipped under the attack.

With each missed attack Kanako slipped closer and closer to her opponent as they danced around the clearing. Several near misses shredded her blouse as she twisted and rolled out of the way of the pressurized air attacks. In a matter of minutes the two were fighting in close quarters. Unable to overcome the difference in their skills in close combat, Motoko was slowly pushed back as she was forced onto the defensive.

Stabbing at her opponent Motoko felt Kanako's hand wrapping around her wrist. With a simple twist of her wrist Kanako trapped Motoko's sword arm as she pinned and trapped it between her arm and breast.

Gasping as Kanako slipped her foot behind her, Motoko felt herself being thrown off balance as her opponent swept her legs out from under her. Pinned down she glared up at her grinning opponent.

"Concede," Kanako suggested. "You fought well but you're unbalanced; your defeat was inevitable."

Unwilling to give up the stubborn swordswoman continued to struggle against Kanako, refusing to concede the match. Releasing her sword she reached up and grabbed a fistful of Kanako's long hair and pulled back. Rolling to her left, the pair tussled on the ground, fighting for position as each sought to come out on top.

Trapped beneath her opponent as their roles were reversed, Kanako considered her options. With her left arm still trapping Motoko's right arm, she slipped her hand down her opponent's skirt and panties. Eliciting a startled gasp from her opponent snaked her hand further down until she felt her opponent's cleanly shaved womanhood.

"Wh-what are you doing?" a startled Motoko asked as she felt Kanako's fingers penetrate her.

"You know you've wanted this," Kanako said soothingly as she began to caress Motoko's pussy. Easing her hold on Motoko's arm she licked her lips as she reached up with her other hand and caressed the smooth, soft flesh of Motoko's chin and cheek. Grabbing hold of her head she pulled her down into a gentle kiss.

A shiver of ecstasy ran through Motoko's body as she returned Kanako's kiss. Lowering herself to the ground she reached out for Kanako's exposed breasts. Gently, tentatively, she began to massage Kanako's perky breast, teasing the other woman's nipple with her fingers.

Kanako responded with gusto as she ripped open Motoko's blouse. Unwrapping Motoko's bindings with only one hand and her mouth, she attacked the now freed mounds of flesh, kissing and licking the soft, warm flesh, savoring the sweet taste of Motoko's salty sweat soaked skin.

Warm juices coated her fingers as she probed deeper into Motoko as she sought the other woman's clit. The sound of Motoko's groans of pleasure increased as she found the mound of nerves. Gently she stroked the sensitive spot, bringing the swordswoman closer and closer to orgasm.

Collapsing onto her lover, Motoko felt Kanako roll her onto her side. Lifting her leg up so as to give Kanako better access to her, Motoko gasped for breath as she neared her climax. Her earsplitting scream of ecstasy filled the clearing even as her juices soaked her panties.

Fighting to catch her breath Motoko purred contently. Snaking her hand down to Kanako's skirt she decided to return the favor.

*****

The afternoon breeze felt very refreshing to the young man as he stripped off his sweat soaked shirt. Having spent much of the afternoon sparring with the others Ranma was looking forward to a good soak in the hot tub and some well deserved rest before leaving for wherever it was that the mage was sending them.

For their part Ryoga and Mousse were looking forward to having their curses sealed as well, though they really didn't care much about returning to the Hinata Sou.

A gentle knock was all he needed to announce his presence as he stood before the door to Chun-Li's room.

"Come in," the Chinese martial artist called out, her voice opening the magical door before him.

The sight of her naked back as she looked back at the door sent a tingling thrill through his body, particularly the one muscle he hadn't used while sparring. Stepping into the room he felt the door close behind him, giving them the privacy they needed.

Turning around Chun-Li dropped the towel she'd been holding to her ample breasts. The look in her eyes said it all, though Ranma knew that he really couldn't resist her womanly assets.

Striding over to her he embraced her. The feel of her firm breasts against his chest, her heart pounding as she pressed against him, sent another wave of pleasure through his body as his steadily hardening erection strained against his usually loose boxers and pants.

Kissing the older woman passionately he caressed her sweat covered back before grabbing hold of her firm buttocks. Feeling her hands pulling off his pants and boxers Ranma licked his lips as he pulled away from her kiss. Taking a large breath of air he kissed her again. Deep, sensual kisses sent fueled their passion as he carried her to the lip of the hot tub.

Massaging her firm ass he set her gently on the cool smooth stone surface before trailing kisses down to her lovely breasts. Lovingly he kissed her breasts and nipples before gently nipping and sucking on the erect nipples. Playfully he trailed kisses down to her flat stomach as his hands began to massage her muscular thighs. His strong yet skilled fingers moved down to her calves, lifting her legs high into the air and forcing her onto her back as he massaged her feet and calves while gently nuzzling her inner thighs and kissing her sensitive skin.

The scent of her juices drove him mad, though judging from the sounds Chun-Li was making it was clear that she wanted it just as much as he did. Slowly he kissed her lower lips before his tongue probed her wet, hot slit. Kneeling down before her he ran his course tongue over her clit as he spread her wide. With her knees over his shoulders she lay back and squirmed as he skillfully and attentively brought her closer and closer to orgasm.

Reaching up he began to massage her jiggling breasts as he lapped up her juices, eliciting more moans of pleasure from his older lover. Stimulating her clit and her nipples, it seemed as though only a few brief minutes had passed between the time he had entered the room and Chun-Li's first orgasm.

Satisfied that she was ready for him he slowly stood up even as he trailed kisses back to her heaving breasts. Reaching her savory nipples he pressed his engorged head against her wet slit, teasing her as he did so. With a gentle thrust he slid into her, burying the head of his cock inside of her.

Gasping at the sudden yet pleasant sensation, the Chinese martial artist wrapped her legs around her lover's hips as she offered herself to him.

Gentle thrusts helped him ease his way into her before he slowly extracted himself out of her. Slowly he worked his way deeper into her until finally he found himself completely consumed by her. Feeling her juices on his balls he licked his parched lips. Throat dry from the anticipation he sighed contently as he savored the feel of her warm womanhood completely enveloping him.

Slowly eased himself out of her, centimeter by centimeter until only his engorged head remained inside of her. Standing nearly straight up he grasped her full breasts as he drove himself back into her, filling her once again and drawing a startled gasp of pleasurable pain from Chun-Li.

The sound of his balls covered in her juices colliding with her wet pussy filled the granite and marble chamber as he repeatedly thrust in and out of her. Only the sound of their gasps and moans managed to drown out the sound of their bodies colliding as the two lovers fought for their breath.

Another scream filled the room as Chun-Li announced that she was orgasming again. Her nails dug into his chest even as her body trembled around his hard manhood.

Relentlessly he pounded her womanhood as he felt his entire body tingling as he neared his own climax. Unwilling to let things end so soon he slowed his tempo and once again reversed his motions; slowly pulling himself out of her as he did so.

Astonished at the intensity of her orgasm Chun-Li simply lay there as Ranma extracted himself. Looking up at him she took several deep breaths as he helped her sit up then turned her around.

His sensual kisses elicited another moan from her even as he lifted her right leg onto the lip of the tub, spreading her wide once again. Gently he entered her from behind. Slowly he worked his way into her again even as he massaged her breasts and nipples. Each thrust was answered with a light moan as his hard manhood rubbed up against her clit.

The repeated stimulation of each deliberate thrust brought her to another orgasm even as Ranma worked a steady and gentle tempo. Only after she once again screamed out her delight and pleasure did he start to increase his tempo. His hands now on her hips he began to thrust faster and harder, eliciting a louder and louder gasp from her with each one.

Unable to hold back he thrust hard into her once again before letting out a satisfied groan. Shooting his load into Chun-Li he collapsed onto her back. His heart pounded against his ribcage and chest, completely in sync with his lover's as they collapsed onto the cold marble surface.

*****

A content sigh escaped Motoko's lips as she pulled on her dirty though still intact school uniform. Glancing at her lover's breasts she smiled. Maybe that was what she needed after all. She'd always imagined that her first would be Urashima - she just didn't think that it would be a female Urashima.

Watching her lover pull out perfectly suitable shirt out of nowhere she frowned as she contemplated why she wasn't completely satisfied. Though her long afternoon with Kanako had been enjoyable, she knew that she wasn't completely satisfied. Something was missing.

It wasn't as though she had been secretly stealing glances at the other girls, coveting their assets as the perverted Keitaro had or even relishing the sight of their naked bodies. No, she liked men, but women were nice too. And it wasn't as though she sought out Kanako – the other way around actually.

Sensing her new lover's doubt, Kanako set her hand on Motoko's shoulder. "I don't agree with your sister's belief that we can just casually give ourselves to anyone, but I do think that the old standards aren't practical," she stated. "Since there are more women than men we will have to either vie for their affections or be willing to share them; but that doesn't mean that we have to be exclusive with them either. I like you, and you like me, so what's wrong with us being together? And what's wrong with sharing a man between us or with others?"

"But…" She wanted to protest, but she knew that she had no reason to. Kanako was right – she shouldn't just give herself to anyone and she could be with anyone who wanted her. But did she want Keitaro still? Blinking, she tried to visualize the runty dorm manager, yet the only male she could envision was the insufferable pigtailed… boy.

Taking hold of Kanako's hand she kissed it gently, sensually, before taking a delicate finger into her mouth.

"I guess we got dressed too soon," Kanako grinned as she reached under her lover's blouse.

*****

It was clear to Juli that the 'captain' was distracted. Ever since his last long communiqué with the Hinata Sou he had been withdrawn and distracted. Even Tina couldn't get him out of his funk – and she'd tried repeatedly to get him to stand at attention.

Still, it wasn't her concern. She'd long ago decided that the scrawny male was more lucky then skilled and that his survival had been merely an odd twist of fate. Regardless of that low evaluation of him she knew that if the human species were to survive she and Juni would need to find suitable mates to sire their children. While Keitaro would not be suitable for her, he was perhaps good enough for the busty blond. He was the Alpha male only because there were no other males to contest that title. And while she and Juni were clearly stronger than Tina, neither fighter wanted to waste their time fighting over such a pathetic specimen.

No, Tina could keep Keitaro, or she could relinquish him to the other women at this Hinata Sou. What truly interested her were the other males that had apparently left. If they were strong enough to handle leaving a fortified position such as the Hinata Sou and dealing with the Darkseekers than they would be good candidates for both dolls – even if it was just one, but there were supposedly three. She would definitely have to the three fighters, especially as Japan was home to a great many powerful fighters. If they had survived the airborne Krippin Virus as well as the Darkseekers they were definitely worth evaluating. After all, they couldn't be worse than Keitaro.

*****

Ranma was amazed at how long he and Chun-Li had been alone together in her room. Though it felt as though it were merely minutes the pair had spent over two hours together. True, some of that time had been for them to catch their breaths. If not for the fact that they were expected to be at dinner with everyone else the two would have been content to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening in bed and in the hot tub together.

Forced to get dressed and to return to their rooms the two had met up with Cammy before reporting to dinner. Dinner itself was little more than casual eating as they had grown tired of eating just seafood or beef over the past few days.

In truth it was their little mission to Tokyo that had the party of fighters slightly on edge. Not only were they going to be leaving the safe confines Library Island and Mahora, where they had lived seemingly normal lives the past two weeks, but they would be returning or going (depending on one's perspective) to the Hinata Sou. The four refugees weren't sure what to expect of their return. Only Ranma seemed at peace with the idea, but then again, he had Cammy and Chun-Li's support.

Walking back with Cammy and Chun-Li, the pigtailed martial artist smiled at the thought of being able to share his future with the two lovely ladies. It helped that they were capable martial artists and had a passion for the art, but what really helped make him feel at ease around them was their calm and cool nature. They didn't jump to conclusions nor were they unwilling to share him. Well, in all honesty he'd only been with Chun-Li, and only that one time. Still, they didn't seem to mind sharing him between them.

"Would you excuse me for a minute?" the taller of the two women asked as she turned towards her fellow countryman.

"Sure," Ranma shrugged, missing the knowing look that Cammy and Chun-Li had exchanged.

"Sure," Cammy replied with a smile as the Chinese martial artist rushed to talk with Ibuki and Mousse.

Walking beside the long haired blond and her long braids, Ranma felt his companion's strong, firm hand pushing him into the wall. The friendly shoving match continued throughout the corridor until they finally turned the corner. Suddenly Ranma found himself locked in Cammy's slender yet powerful arms as she tried to wrestle him to the ground. The playful exchange quickly had a new edge and tone as Ranma slipped out of her powerful hold and slipped behind her. The feel of her firm, round ass grinding against his steadily hardening and growing cock made him all the more conscious of their positioning. With one hand holding onto her wrist and another locked around his own wrist as he wrapped his arms around her waist he crushed her to him.

In a flash the pair found themselves in Cammy's room. With the door closed tightly behind them they attacked each others' clothes as they wrestled for dominance as well as to enjoy each others' bodies. Kissing her passionately as she turned her head so that she was essentially looking over her shoulder, he massaged her perky breasts with one hand while teasing her thighs with his other.

Backing up he tripped over the edge of the bed, thus finding himself underneath the more experienced blond. Grinning at him, Cammy quickly spun around before kissing him passionately.

Reaching up Ranma cupped her perky breasts and began to massage them even as Cammy began to grind her trimmed landing strip against his hard shaft. Letting her pace herself the pigtailed martial artist gently and lovingly bit down on the blonde's neck and shoulders, teasing her with his mouth as she positioned herself so that his breasts were once again buried between her modest mounds of flesh.

Finally Cammy pulled away, allowing him to take a deep breath and lick his parched lips. With the anticipation having built up over the past two weeks or so Ranma wasn't going to rush being with Cammy, just as he hadn't done so with Chun-Li. Laying back he watched as the petit blond grabbed hold of his stiff manhood and guided it into her. A shiver of pleasure ran through his body as his engorged head slide into her tight, wet slit. Gradually she worked more of him into her as she rocked her hips back and forth, gently thrusting as she impaled herself on him.

Finally he felt her take all of him, completely enveloped by her hot womanhood, he sighed happily as she leaned forward to kiss him. Taking a moment to savor the feeling they smiled at each other, Ranma quickly untied her long braids before parting with a gentle kiss as she sat up once again. Reaching up he began to massage her perky breasts as the fleshy globes began to jiggle as she began to rock back and forth once again.

It started slow and sensually, but soon Cammy was riding him hard and fast. Her gentle moans of pleasure combined with the feeling of her tight body wrapped around his rocked his world. The sight of her perky breasts bouncing as she rode him hard and her long blond locks flowing freely was incredibly sexy – an image that he'd burn into his memory for the rest of his days.

Only the sudden pain from her nails digging into his chest broke him from his thoughts. Clearly she was enjoying herself as well as the blonde clawed at his chest. Sweat slicked breasts heaved as she leaned back, adjusting the angle at which he entered her as she continued to rock her hips.

Letting out a pleasurable moan, Cammy collapsed onto him as she orgasmed. Her petit yet powerful body trembled as wave after wave of pure pleasure and bliss filled every cell of her being.

Giving her a moment to savor her climax, Ranma caressed her sweat soaked back and ran his fingers through her blond locks. Sitting up he gently lifted them off of the bed, all the while staying inside of her. Feeling her strong lets wrapped around his hips he lifted her off the bed and carried her into the hot tub. Lowering them into the hot water he licked his dry lips as he pinned her against the warm, smooth, marble seat.

Steady thrusts soon had Cammy moaning once again, only to be joined by his grunts as he gulped in many mouthfuls of air. Pumping his hips hard he drove into her repeatedly. The warm water combined with his lover's firm yet soft in the right areas body sent a pleasurable wave through Ranma's body as he slowly approached his own climax. Cammy's fingers clawing at his back and her groans of pleasure helped as well.

In a matter of moments he was exploding inside of her. Grunting as he collapsed onto her he sighed contently. It really was worth the wait.

*****

A/N

I think I'll just leave things where they're at for now.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	23. Chapter 23

A/N

If you're looking for the disclaimer than go back to chapters 1-10.

Chase and Cameron are breaking up? Hmm…. Interesting…. And is 13 really going to leave? Hmmm…. House….

*****

The faint early afternoon light of the fading day illuminated Tokyo Bay and the beaches for the crew of the yacht. Looking out at the vacant and abandoned city that he used to call home, Keitaro knew that things were very different from the way they were when he'd last seen the metropolitan city.

"It'll be alright," Tina said in her best enthusiastic and supportive tone. "They'll understand."

"Yeah," he replied, clearly less than convinced.

Though they had arrived in Tokyo Bay well ahead of time the former ronin knew that they were essentially stuck until their escorts arrived. He wasn't sure if he was ready to return to the Hinata Sou or not. What he did know was that he had to do it.

"It'll be alright," the blond repeated, firmly believing that they would.

*****

The gentle rustling of fabric announced the approach of the group of travelers as they gracefully and seemingly effortlessly made their way through the vacant city. Having spent the entire morning and much of the afternoon running through the remains of Tokyo they knew that they would be hard pressed to complete the rest of the journey before sunset if they stopped to eat. Even with the longer summer days they group knew that the tall skyscrapers would provide too much shade and cover for the Darkseekers once the sun began to set.

Sticking primarily to the abandoned rails overhead the group made good time despite taking a few odd turns through the vacant city. Despite their love of roof hopping the trio of Nerimain martial artists knew that the sky scrapers were just a bit too tall for the girls to handle, not to mention that climbing the stairs would take too much time and then there was the fact that those tall buildings were the perfect place for some Darkseekers to hide – especially those secluded stairwells.

"Let's take a break," Ranma called out as he reached another abandoned station. Despite not being the oldest or most experienced, it had become his duty to lead the group as they made their way through Tokyo.

Even though the girls wouldn't admit to it, they were pushing themselves to keep up with the boys. Roof hopping wasn't as easy it looked. The few glances he'd thrown back at the group to check that Ryoga was still around or just to see how the girls, er, women were doing. Then again, even Mousse and Ryoga were struggling to keep up with the steady pace that he'd set for all of them. Though no one was willing to admit it, the assembled martial artists were glad to have a breather. Only Thirteen appeared unfazed by the pace that he had set, then again, she was a gynoid and had been able to keep up with him during his most recent trip to China.

"I'm going to check the store across," the pigtailed boy said as everyone else caught up with him. "Maybe there's something we can salvage for tonight."

"I'll go with you," Ryoga volunteered.

"Sure," Ranma replied.

A pregnant silence accompanied the pair as they rushed over to the abandoned store.

"So, what's up?" the pigtailed boy asked, finally breaking the silence as he kicked down the fortified door.

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"You're a horrible liar, you know that, right?"

"Hahaha," the bandana wearing martial artist tried to laugh it off even as he scratched his head. "I just wanted to know, how do you get all the girls? I know that you're supposedly better looking than me and you used to be a girl half the time so you had the insider's edge on me; but what can I do to, you know, get a girl?"

Finding a virtual treasure trove of unclaimed food and drinks, Ranma began to stuff the many items into stuff-space. There'd be time enough to pick through it later after all.

"Don't try to impress them," Ranma suggested. "Just be you and the ones who are likely to be interested in you will come to you. I mean, back in Nerima I never went out of my way to draw attention to myself, yet all those girls came flocking to me. It's not because I did anything special, I was just being me."

"Yeah, an egotistical punk who thought he was much better than everyone else," Ryoga grumbled.

"Yeah," Ranma conceded. "I was, and look at the type of girls that I got. I mean, Akane's nice, but that was because my pops engaged me to her, and the same with Ukyo. But Shampoo and Kodachi? No offense to Mousse, but those two were kinda crazy. Seriously, chasing me down all the way from China just to avenge a loss to me? And trying to kill any rivals? And don't get me started on the Black Rose."

"Yeah," Ryoga chuckled. "They were pretty crazy."

"You had Akari," the pigtailed boy added. "She was pretty cool. Just… well, not my cup of tea."

"Hehe, yeah."

"So who do you like?"

"Why?"

"So I know who to tell Cammy and Chun-Li to put a good word in with," Ranma chuckled. "I've already got them, but given the numbers that we're supposed to have what, five guys?"

"You, me, Mousse, Dr. Tofu and this Keitaro guy," Ryoga counted off as he held up his fingers.

Passing on the obvious counting joke, Ranma nodded. "Then there's Cammy and Chun-Li, Mutsumi,"

"Kasumi dark," Ryoga joked.

"Yeah, Kasumi dark," the pigtailed boy corrected as he held up three fingers. "So there's Chun-Li, Cammy, Kasumi Dark, Tsuruko, Naru, Motoko, Kanako, Ibuki, and the three girls with Keitaro – eleven women… That's two women per guy at least; if you're willing to share it's more."

"Are Cammy and Chun-Li willing to share?" Checking the expiration date of the canned goods Ryoga threw the items into the discard list.

"With each other or with others?" Ranma asked for clarification as he added several bags of chips.

"Wow, frozen dumplings," the bandana wearing young man exclaimed. "Sorry," he added as he tossed several boxes of the still frozen food to Ranma.

"What if the other girls like Naru or Motoko, you know, showed an interested in you?"

The cold box connected with Ranma's face as he froze at the mention of the busty auburn haired girl.

Clearly not as clueless as he often appeared to be, Ryoga stood up, ignoring the frozen foods before him. "What happened?"

"Um, well," Ranma mumbled as he picked up the frozen box, "technically nothing – you remember that incident after she'd injured her ankle? When Dr. Tofu had me help her out of the baths?"

"I heard a lot of screaming, and not the intimate kind," Ryoga joked.

"Yeah, but emotions were running high, and then I saw her naked, and she was weak and vulnerable, and I nearly gave in…"

"But you didn't," Ryoga consoled. "You're a lot stronger than that."

Glad to be able to hide his face in the darkness, Ranma nodded, "Yeah. But you're a lot stronger than me in that regard. You haven't had to say no to a hot girl like that…"

"Yeah, keep rubbing it in," the other youth scowled.

"You know what I mean," Ranma corrected. "Back in Nerima it was easy for me to not give in to Shampoo's little morning wake up calls, and all those times we ended up running through the girl's locker room or changing room for whatever reason. But when I was with Naru… Hell, even Motoko wasn't that hard to turn down."

Ryoga blinked. Fortunately the darkness of the tiny store hid that fact as he tried to wrap his mind around what Ranma had just admitted. "Motoko? When did that happen?"

"Oh, that," the pigtailed martial artist replied as he picked through some boxes of candy, "the first time I was at Mahora and Library Island. You know how Tsuruko was trying to push me and Motoko together. She had me take care of Motoko after I accidentally knocked her out."

"Why?" the other youth asked as he moved onto the frozen vegetables.

"Tsuruko went to meet with Albireo I guess," Ranma answered as he reached the jarred foods. "Anyways, we got into a fight because I had to strip Motoko since her clothes were wet, and she began to get all psycho because I saw her naked. Long story short I had her in my arms and then walked away." Almost under his breath he added, "Nothing like what nearly happened with Naru."

*****

The much needed pit stop had allowed the group to catch their breath and stock up on some more food supplies. Rested and re-invigorated, they set off once again.

After a few more hours of steady running the group found themselves staring at the wide bay as it opened up to the ocean. Another half hour later and the seven travelers found themselves climbing onboard the sizable yacht.

"Damn! This make's Kuno's boat look small!" Ranma exclaimed as he helped Cammy up the ladder.

"This is like two of Kuno's boats put together!" Mousse commented.

"This is bigger than my parents' house!" Ryoga added.

Ranma opened his mouth to object, then recalled just how small the Hibiki house really was and decided against it. Hell, even Kuno's boat had been longer than Hibiki's house was wide, and this yacht was probably just short of thirty meters.

With everyone on board Ranma turned around and smiled at the rather scrawny and lanky guy that had somehow captured the affections of the remaining Hinata Sou girls. He'd heard that the guy was scrawny, clumsy, and a pervert, but this, this really exceeded his expectations. Something about him had managed to capture the various girls' hearts, something that Ranma really couldn't see even as he scrutinized the older man.

"So you're Keitaro Urashima," the pigtailed martial artist stated as he held his hand out, "I'm Ranma Saotome. This is Ryoga Hibiki" he nodded to his left "and this is Mousse" the be-speckled martial artist shrugged at the mispronunciation of his name, he had after all gotten used to it after all the time he'd spent in Japan.

"Killer Bee!"

Blinking, Ranma glanced at the brunette standing behind the runty young man before him. A quick glance was all he needed to see the unusual connection to Cammy. Not only were the brunette and the strawberry blond women standing in a very similar posture as Cammy occasionally adopted, but both women were essentially clones of the longhaired blond. True, there were noticeable differences in their muscle tone and stances, but it was clear that they each had endured similar training under one unique style - almost as though they were cut from the same mold. Not only did they hold themselves in the same way, but they even had a similar personal style (though different tastes in color) as they each wore a thong leotard with a high collar and long, padded gloves.

And of course there was the fact that they were saluting the petit blond.

"Juli? Juni?" the blond replied with a sharp salute.

"You know each other?" Ranma asked, cutting off Keitaro and Ryoga as they both appeared to have the same thought on their lips.

"Long story," Chun-Li replied. "I'm Chun-Li, and this is Ibuki and Thirteen," she said, finishing the introductions for the travelers.

"Hi, I'm Tina," the busty blond replied, finishing the introductions for the seafaring group. "You're really Killer Bee?"

"It's a code name I used to go by," the petit blond replied. "Call me Cammy."

*****

The sound of several approaching figures drew a smile to the face of the killer. Even in the darkness of the early evening, the killer knew what he faced. He'd spent many nights fighting the Darkseekers, and few if any had survived the brief encounters. Having cleared out many buildings the killer was sure that these last few Darkseekers were the only ones left.

Dropping the shard of broken glass that he had used to cut himself, and thus draw their attention, the killer grinned in the darkness. Even though it was only a mere dozen Darkseekers he knew that he'd have some fun tonight.

*****

Despite all that he'd endured in the past few months the scrawny former ronin, former apartment/dorm manager had yet to feel squeamish or self-conscious about what he did – no wait, there were those few mornings when he had slipped out to, um, relieve himself before he and Tina had become intimate. Sitting in what had become designated as the 'men's' room, the older man couldn't help but feel as though the other three younger men were carefully scrutinizing him.

"So let me get this straight," the surprisingly mature Ranma said as he tossed Keitaro another beer. He'd definitely have to find out how Ranma and Mousse managed that trick. "As a kid you made a promise to some girl that you'd both go to Tokyo University together, but you don't even know who the girl is anymore. You thought it might be Narusagawa, and then she said it wasn't her. Then you thought it was Mutsumi, but she said she had made that promise to a girl. But both of them were at the Hinata Sou when you were a kid, right?"

Accepting the beer, Keitaro cracked it open. "Yep." From what he'd heard from the girls the former ronin had expected Ranma to be some immature jerk – thus the reason he had left the Hinata Sou as it was been too restrictive for him. Mousse and Ryoga had been the same, though they had left much later. Still, Ranma really wasn't anything like he expected – well, he did have a pigtail and really was pretty confident about his martial arts, but he really wasn't as immature as the girls had portrayed him to be. He was still reserving judgment on Ryoga and Mousse though.

"Narusagawa would have been what – two?" Ryoga asked as he crushed his beer. "And you were four?"

Nodding, Keitaro chugged some of his slightly warm beer.

"Even if it was her she was probably too young to remember," Mousse added. "But Mutsumi's a bit older than you, so she'd probably remember her better."

"Regardless, you've essentially told Naru how you feel about her, and that even if she's not the promise girl you love Naru, right?" Ranma repeated.

Again Keitaro nodded.

"But when you left to study abroad," Ranma paused as he opened another beer for himself, "she hadn't said anything about how she felt for you. And then all this crazy stuff happened and you ended up sleeping with Tina…"

"And now all the Hinata Sou girls hate you," Ryoga added.

Head hanging low, Keitaro hiccupped before bobbing his head up and down. "Yup."

With his beer in hand Ranma decided that more alcohol was not what he needed right now. Sure, it had been fun listening to Keitaro's story, but things were really messy and a muddled mind wouldn't help the situation. Though he knew he wasn't that drunk yet, it was clear that at the pace they were going it wouldn't take too long to get there.

"I think that the girls are being immature," Ranma stated. "You've held out for how long while they were around and nothing but a lot of miscommunication and misunderstandings happened. But when an attractive girl finally makes a move for you, even if it was under these circumstances, you didn't cave right away. And of course you didn't know if everyone was alright or not, and they had given you up for dead…" Taking a deep breath, Ranma shook his head. "You did what you felt was right. You were in an incredibly stressful situation and you made the best decision you could given the circumstances. If the girls are holding that against you it's because they're mad at themselves for not taking advantage of things when they had the chance."

"I think it's called 'projecting'," Mousse interjected. "When they project their anger onto you even though it's their fault."

"When the hell did you get to be so good with Japanese?" Ryoga asked, completely out of left field.

"There's a reason why my eyesight is so bad you know," the nearsighted martial artist replied. "Maybe if you'd learn to read you wouldn't get lost so often!"

"I know how to read!" Ryoga shouted as he tossed his crushed beer can at the longhaired martial artists.

"Apparently you haven't learned to read a map!" Mousse countered as he launched his empty beer can to intercept Ryoga's missile.

"He's got a point there Ryoga," Ranma sighed. "Point to Mousse – that makes it seven to four, Mousse."

"When did you start keeping track?" the bandana wearing martial artist asked as he motioned for another beer.

"When we got back to Mahora," the pigtailed martial artist answered.

"Anyways, Mousse is right – those girls should be mad at themselves for letting you slip by," Ranma said, pulling the conversation back to their original topic. "There are no guarantees that you're going to be the same guy today as you are tomorrow."

"Actually, it's 'tomorrow as you are today'," Mousse corrected.

"Oh, yeah," Ranma conceded. "I know I'm not the same guy today as I was last month. Granted, a lot has happened in the past month, but still, I'm not the same guy. And traveling abroad is a big thing – it can change you. For them to expect you to come back to them unchanged is just selfish.

"Look," he said, trying to find a good analogy, "as martial artists we" he pointed to himself and his former rivals "go off and train hard for our next fight, fully expecting that our rivals are also working hard so that when we fight again we're not just going to rely on the same old tricks…. Wait, that doesn't work, does it?"

"No," Mousse replied. "We use the same old tricks, but we use new ones too."

"Yeah," Ranma replied, trying to cease the momentum he had built up to, "but for you it's like the girls were your rivals. You went off to become better, and they're still the same as they were before."

"Actually, the analogy should be that as martial artists we leave to train so that we become better than our rivals," Mousse stated. "And now you've come back and are better than they are. You've moved ahead while they're content to stay where they are."

Keitaro blinked. That kind of made sense… kind of.

"No, it's like you're a martial artist and you go off to train," Ryoga cut in, "came back and beat up your rival and but they're not only the same as they were before but they don't feel motivated to train and get better to fight you again _and_ blame you for being better than them."

The other men blinked, slowly taking in that amended analogy.

"Wow, that actually works," Ranma mumbled. "I knew there was a reason why you two were here."

The sudden barrage of empty beer cans quickly shut the pigtailed boy up.

Once the barrage finally stopped Ranma sat back up, grinning at his companions. "Anyways, I don't know why, but it seems as though the girls at the Hinata Sou have such a high opinion of themselves. I can understand that they might want things to be 'perfect' before they do something like kiss you or whatever, but, well, that's pretty juvenile."

"'Juvenile'," Mousse repeated, "that's a pretty big word for you."

An empty can was all Ranma needed to silence the master of hidden weapons.

"Back in Nerima," he said, having dealt with the distraction, "Akane and I had that issue – we always wanted the right moment to tell each other how we felt. But we never had that right moment. Too much shit came up all the time – various kidnappings, challenges, Happosai – anything and everything came up whenever we thought we were getting close to that 'perfect' moment."

"Yeah, like your foot going into your mouth," Mousse heckled.

"I thought you said no more liquor for Mousse?" Ryoga commented, immediately silencing the Chinese martial artists.

"I'll behave," Mousse sulked as he nursed his beer.

"Some guys just can't handle their liquor," Ryoga mumbled.

"Anyways, things keep happening and coming up. I think Naru realizes now that she loved you, but that was the you from before you left for Japan," the pigtailed young man stated. "Will she love the you that is about to return to the Hinata Sou? Will you still love who she is now?"

*****

The cool environmentally controlled air of the enclosed Hinata Sou felt nice to Naru as she wandered the dark hallways of the dormitory. After days of moping and generally being moody, the auburn haired girl had finally settled on her true feelings. Yes, she loved Keitaro, but that was the one who had left the Hinata Sou. The current one, the one that had slept with some American woman, that one she didn't know how she felt about him. True, the current Keitaro was contained the old Keitaro, but could he return to the way he was? He had survived, though he had apparently given up part of himself in the process. But once he was back he'd have her, Motoko, and Kanako to help return him to the way he was, right? They would be able to get him back, and eventually they'd forget that he was even with that other girl….

But she was coming with him… What if he truly loved this mysterious Tina girl? Could she share him with her? Would she be willing to share him? But what about Ranma? She'd nearly, well, done it with him. Would it have been so bad?

Despite the auburn haired woman's intelligence, Naru failed to realized that some external forces were playing with her mind and body. Even under the heavily recycled air, or perhaps because of it, the pheromones produced by Mutsumi and Tsuruko whenever they were intimate with Dr. Tofu were slowly playing on the minds and bodies of all the Hinata Sou survivors.

*****

The gentle waves slowly rocked the large yacht as four sets of eyes and one set of cameras looked out at the dark ocean waters. The light outlines of the waves sent odd reflections of light onto the women's eyes and faces.

"So you have marked one of them for yourself," Juni stated.

"There are three of them, but you've chosen to share him with Chun-Li?" Juli added. "He must be exceptional."

"You have no idea," Chun-Li smiled.

"Would you be willing to share him with us?" the strawberry blond asked.

"No," Cammy replied. "Whomever he takes as his lovers is for him to decide, but I can tell you that he probably would not be inclined to take on any more currently."

"Currently," the brunette repeated, "so that does leave the option open for the future?"

Chun-Li rolled her eyes. "Why is it so important to you?"

"There is a reason why we dolls were created female," Juni stated. "We were created"

"To give birth to Bison's army," Cammy said, cutting the other woman off. "I know, but Bison died long ago."

"Yes," Juli replied, "at the hands of Akuma."

"And Shadowloo is destroyed," Chun-Li added.

"As is most of humanity," Juni interjected. "It is our responsibility to help repopulate the world. But only the best and strongest of mates are suitable for us. Otherwise their genes will be weak and the offspring will be vulnerable."

Chun-Li began to massage her forehead. This conversation had started suddenly and had gone to weird right away. "Ranma will not breed just for the sake of breeding – nor will Mousse and Ryoga. They want women who are strong and who value them as people, not just as fighters."

Though it had been years since she had been deprogrammed, Juni cocked her head to the side as she tried to process what the Chinese martial artist had said. "But is it not our duty to repopulate humanity and rebuild society?"

"Yes, it is," Cammy replied, "but we are still human – we still have our own personal feelings and desires."

Chun-Li nodded. "Why didn't you just repopulate with Keitaro?"

"We judged him to be inferior," Juli stated. "Though he happened to survive, we felt that he lacked the qualities that would make him a suitable partner. He is weak, clumsy, indecisive, and often overly irrational."

"That's cold," Chun-Li said as she shook her head. "But, if I had to suggest someone for you to… pursue romantically, I'd suggest Ryoga Hibiki."

"Yeah," Cammy exclaimed. "Ranma did say that Ryoga was his primary rival; physically he's stronger than Ranma, but he's not as fast or nimble."

The two former dolls nodded, considering their former commander's suggestion.

This might be bad, Chun-Li thought to herself as she looked at the serious look on the two women's faces.

*****

The warrior smiled grimly as he eyed his target. The sound of painful howls and roars rang in his sensitive ears told him that the small pack was nearby. Whatever prey they were hunting was obviously giving them a hard time.

Following their scent he found the tiny passageway that they had followed their quarry down. Clearly their prey understood the need to limit how many opponents could come at her at a time. The long, narrow tunnel would do that.

Once outside of the tight passage the warrior spotted the small pack of three – one male and two females – as they circled around their lone prey as she stood atop a raised platform. The warrior watched as the apparent alpha female leapt onto the meter and a half platform, allowing the prey to rush over and kick it in the side as it came down to land. He watched as the fighting prey continued her crude defenses, lashing out just enough to keep the Darkseekers at bay, but not enough to kill them or knock them out.

Letting out a thundering roar the warrior announced his presence. Slowly the three Darkseekers backed off, allowing the warrior to approach the platform. Leaping into the air he waited for the prey to attack as she had done with the other Darkseekers. Letting the kick glance him, the warrior spun in the air, redirecting his momentum as he turned around into a spinning tornado kick that connected with the woman's head.

Landing gracefully he growled as the other Darkseekers tried to move in. Warning them off he allowed the fighter back to her feet even as he adopted a defensive stance.

"You're not a typical Darkseeker, are you?" the woman said as she wiped the blood from her busted lip. Hearing the howling she was surprised to see the other Darkseekers not a take advantage of her while she was knocked down. Clearly this one didn't play by the usual rules.

Growling, the gi wearing Darkseeker charged in.

A superimposed imaged covered the Darkseeker as the fighter suddenly recognized the stance and the attack. Startled, the fighter simply stood there as her impending doom rushed her.

*****

The sounds of drunken snoring filled the tiny room. As much as he wanted to blame Mousse's snores for his inability to sleep, Keitaro knew that that wasn't the truth. After his talk with the younger men, he knew that it wouldn't be fair for him to blame anyone else for his lack of sleep as he was the one who couldn't get past what Ranma had said to him. Sure, the pigtailed martial artist wasn't very articulate in his arguments, but he had plenty of solid points.

"I have changed," he mumbled as he lay in his bed as sleep finally claimed him.

*****

The gently rolling waves made the yacht all the more interesting for Ryoga as he stumbled along the decks as he sought to relieve himself. Having no clue where the bathroom was the formerly cursed young man had been forced to go up to the main deck. Believing that he could easily find his way back to the men's room, the bandana wearing youth grabbed hold of the railing before leaning forward. With his free hand he pulled down his pants just enough before relieving himself over the side of the deck.

"Ah," he sighed contently. Finished he spun around. Ambling down the steps he opened the first door he encountered, or thought he encountered.

Too drunk to register the impact of several hard blows to the head he hit the ground hard, completely unaware of what had just happened and where he was.

*****

Omaki out-takes

Ranma glanced from Keitaro to the empty can before him then shook his head. Clearly Keitaro was several cases short of a full load. "So you're saying that you 'indirectly' kissed Naru?"

The former ronin nodded.

"And that's because the two of you shared a drink?" Mousse added.

"Well, yeah," the scrawny older man replied.

"So she drank it, then she gave it to you to drink and then she drank it again?" Ryoga asked for clarification.

Nodding, the former ronin confirmed the description.

"So just because your germs crossed, you two kissed?" Mousse asked, slightly confused by this logic.

"Indirectly," Ryoga added.

Again Keitaro nodded.

"Hell, by that logic I've screwed Akane…" Ryoga growled "and Shampoo…" Mousse looked infuriated. "We've shared the same bath water several times."

Ryoga and Mousse blinked, following their former rival's logic.

"That means that you've had..." looking directly at Ryoga Ranma counted off his fingers "wow, I can't count them all. You're a man-whore Ryoga!"

"What?!" the bandana wearing martial artist shouted. "I…"

"All those times in the public baths! How could you? And in public too! And you've slept with Mr. Tendo, my old man, and Mousse!" Ranma concluded.

"I feel so violated," Mousse sobbed.

*****

A/N

Sorry, I just had to do that. Seriously, indirect kisses? That's so lame.

I'm going to things where they're at for now.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	24. Chapter 24

Author's Notes –

No more disclaimers – I posted them on the first ten chapters or so of the fic. I hope you're not that ignorant of ownership issues with this fic if you've been reading it this long.

Now, to address some reviews as they weren't completely answered in the fic these last couple of chapters.

No, it wasn't Akane making a kill in the last chapter. Gi vs dogi.

Yes, female pheromones work on Dr. Tofu, but he's already exhausted by Mutsumi and Tsuruko, and he's rarely seen outside of his room, the clinic, and baths. Even though they are in an environment that is being supplied with filtered air, it doesn't completely take care of the pheromones as everyone is walking around the Hinata Sou as well. Even the best air filtration systems wouldn't be able to clean up all the pheromones.

As much as I like the Hinata Sou girls, well, they do act like girls. Only Shinobu acts her age, and hey, she's the youngest of them. Su is just crazy, but fun, and the other girls really don't amount to much maturity between them, well, except for Mutsumi and Haruka.

*****

Bright, golden light danced through the bay as the sun rose over the deep blue ocean. Golden beams of light filled the cabin, illuminating the tiny compartment and bringing about a muffled groan of pain. Only the splash of water on his face woke the slowly stirring youth, causing him to sputter as the cold, salty water stung at his sore eyes.

"That was salt water, right?" a voice asked.

"Um, yeah," a familiar voice replied.

"You're sure he wasn't knocked out?" the first voice asked.

"Very," another familiar voice replied. "I've hit him a lot and I know what it takes to knock him out. Nothing against the ladies, but seriously, none of them has the power to knock him out with just a few hits."

"Maybe if they used chemicals or drugs," the first familiar voice said.

"Knock it off!" Ryoga shouted, immediately regretting the volume of his voice as a dull throbbing pain filled his skull.

"I'd keep it down if I were you," Ranma suggested as he wiped the salty water away from Ryoga's eyes.

"What happened?" the bandana wearing youth asked.

"You got hammered," Keitaro replied.

"And not in the literal sense," Mousse added. "Actually, did we ask if they had hammers?"

Ranma shook his head. "I do wonder if they've got brass knuckles or something in their gloves though. I still think you were so drunk that you passed out when you opened the door to the lady's room."

"I didn't think there were enough bathrooms," Ryoga grumbled as he slowly adjusted his eye lids to allow just enough light in. Actually, it was more like he finally forced his eyes open enough to finally see where the other men were standing.

"Lady's room, as in where the women slept last night," Mousse corrected.

"Oh."

"I still think you just passed out, but Juli and Juni said that they both hit you over the head," Ranma stated. "I don't see any bumps so I think that you just happened to pass out when they hit you, or before they hit you."

"Oh," the fanged boy replied. Still trying to catch up with the others, the fanged youth failed to realize that he had not transformed after being splashed with cold water.

*****

Japan had always been a good place for Jimmy. True, it wasn't as nice as his native Brazil, but it was nice. His best friend lived in Japan, and so did many great fighters. Sakura, the spunky girl that Ryu had taken on as his student, Ryu the wandering warrior and defending Champion Street Fighter; Honda, the massive yet surprisingly graceful sumo champion; and of course Dan Hibiki, his best friend and fellow Street Fighter.

Having secretly fled Brazil as the Krippin Virus spread like lightning through Mexico as well as the rest of Central America and then into South America, Jimmy had hoped that they could escape the grasp of the deadly virus on the island nation.

Unfortunately things had not worked out the way he had expected. Though it took much longer for the virus to reach Japan than it had Brazil, the ocean had simply slowed down the virus, not stopped it. Watching his frail mother parish from complications of the virus had been bad enough, but watching the young and energetic Sakura fall victim to the virus and turn into one of the Darkseekers had been worse. But it had been the fact that they had been forced to fight and kill her that had hurt the most. As accomplished as they were, Dan and Jimmy, a.k.a. Blanka, had failed to save their companions.

The past few days had been hard for both men as they fought to stay alive. Not only had their isolated fortress been destroyed by a pack of Darkseekers, they had been forced to abandon their home. Only their martial arts prowess and Blanka's past in the Brazilian jungles had kept the two alive. Though Sakura had been a very formidable Darkseekers, few of the Darkseekers they encountered had been as strong, enduring, and tough as the former Street Fighter had been.

It was only by their good fortune and luck that they had spotted the group of ten or so survivors as they ran through the vacant streets of Tokyo. Though they were several kilometers away at first the pair had strained themselves as they chased after the larger group. It was clear to them that the group had a definitely goal or destination in mind, but where was the question.

By noon they had found the group's trail, making it much easier for them to follow the group and to gain more ground on them. With Blanka's enhanced sense of smell the two were able to pursue the group without fear of losing their trail. Thick clouds chased after them and threatened to unleash its fury on them the pair of wiry fighters pushed their exhausted bodies. Unrelenting, they continued even as the sun vanished behind the thick clouds.

Finally chasing down their quarry to a park the pair finally stopped, catching their breath as they figured what they needed to do to get the attention of the party of survivors.

"What if they're not friendly?" Blanka suggested as he looked out at the dark waters.

"You have a good point," the gi wearing fighter said as he rested his hands on his knees.

"We don't have time to build a bonfire," Blanka stated as he stood tall. "We've got company."

Eyeing his companion, the Japanese fighter stood up, "Of course we do – they're on the lake."

The green skinned fighter shook his head. "There's a Darkseeker near by."

*****

Long, dark shadows filled the nearly empty park as the sun began to set behind the thick trees that enclosed the park. Even the small man-made lake reflected little light as the steadily thickening clouds overhead threatened to unleash their fury on the travelers. Distant rumbles from the east trailed after the darkening clouds as the approaching typhoon came closer and closer to Japan.

Even though they were on the edge of the storm Ranma knew that staying on the yacht had not been an option. The strong gusts of wind and the tall waves would have rocked even the nearly thirty meter yacht, if not upending it outright. If not for the various meteorological equipment on the yacht they would have been caught completely unaware by the fast approaching and steadily growing typhoon. Being stuck on the yacht as the storm hit Tokyo bay was simply not an option for them.

The first thick, dark grey clouds had caught up to them before noon despite several hours of hard running. True, Keitaro and Tina had forced them to travel at a much slower pace than they had endured the previous day, but they had still managed to cover a decent amount of ground. Unfortunately they had not covered as much ground as Ranma had hoped, just more than he had expected, even with him and Thirteen carrying the non-martial artists.

"We'll stop here for the night," Ranma said as he slowly came to a halt. Setting his passenger down Ranma rolled his shoulders, easing the tension in his muscles. "We should have enough time to find a few boats and latch them together."

"We're going to sleep on the boats?" Ryoga asked skeptically.

The pigtailed youth nodded. "We don't know if it'll rain for sure, and I don't want to waste time digging a moat," he stated. "Either way we can rest on the boats. We'll just cover them with a tarp or something and anchor them down."

Even several kilometers from Tokyo, which was just inside the outer fringes of the storm, the strong gusts of wind were evident to the travelers. Meter tall waves crashed against the shores of the man made lake and the few remaining piers.

It didn't take them long to find six functioning rowboats and enough rope and bungee cord to bind all the boats together. Four boats wide with two empty boats latched sideways to the center two boats acting as a buffer, allowing 2-3 people per boat. Being gentlemen, the males had volunteered to sleep in the two boats on the end while the six women occupied the center boats and had the tarps covering them.

"I bet you wish you still had your curse," Ranma joked as he huddled beside Ryoga.

"I bet you wish _you_ still had your curse," Ryoga shot back.

"I be you wish I still had my curse," Ranma countered.

"…"

Ranma smirked. Though he'd long since given up keeping track of the score but it always felt good to one up his rival. As much as he'd worked on growing up and acting mature, even he couldn't resist or renounce all of his former ways.

The sun had vanished well before sunset behind the thick blanket of clouds, leaving the two former rivals huddled together in the darkness as the restless waves rocked the make-shift shelter. Unable to sleep, the pair simply sat back to back as they huddled under a blanket.

A splash of white stood out against the darkness, prompting Ranma to elbow his companion.

"What?!" Ryoga hissed irritably.

"I think I spotted something or someone…"

The bandana wearing martial artist quickly turned around. "Where?"

"Straight ahead, slightly to the left," Ranma replied, hoping that Ryoga looked the right way. Shaking his head he pointed to the spot, "Over there."

Eyes straining against the darkness, Ryoga nodded. "There's something out there, that's for sure."

"Close to the shoreline?"

"Yeah."

A terrible roar filled the air, drowning out even the distant rumbling and the waves as they crashed against the wooden boats.

"Stay calm," Ranma ordered everyone, knowing full well that the others, particularly Tina and Keitaro, wanted to sit up and scan the area for any threats. As it was the pigtailed martial artist could see several noticeable lumps on the tarps as the women peaked out from under their tarps and scanned the shoreline.

The distinct sound of wooden beams snapping brought everyone's attention towards the southern end of the lake.

"Someone's fighting," Ranma muttered as he felt the familiar stirring of ki.

*****

Roaring his challenge, the warrior waited for his opponents to react. Having encountered plenty of prey with them, and catching their distinctive scent in the strong wind the warrior knew that he needed to be cautious. He wasn't sure if they had the thunder sticks, but seeing his prey adopting defensive stances he grinned. Something about them was familiar. The shorter and leaner of the two prey stood in a similar stance as the warrior did, and the green skinned one… the warrior knew him from somewhere.

The tall, green skinned creature was the first to act, crouching down before launching itself at him. Leaping out of the way the warrior waited for the green skinned creature to slowly descend before countering with a powerful kick to the creature's back, sending it crashing through a wooden boat.

The warrior quickly spun around, instinctively blocking the flying kick that the gi wearing opponent had thrown at him. Completing the spin he connected with his own kick to his opponent's back, knocking the man into a long dead lamp post.

Dazed but not out, the two fighters quickly sprang back to their feet on opposite sides of him. The larger fighter rushed in again, giving his companion a second to recover.

Taking advantage of his long reach and claws Blanka took a swipe at the warrior, forcing him to evade.

Following his friend's lead Dan rushed in at the warrior's exposed back. A powerful middle kick forced the warrior back inside Blanka's considerable range, shredding the warrior's gi but not drawing any blood.

Pressed by his two opponents he grinned as his body produced more adrenaline and his heart began to pump the chemical to his muscles. Dodging a powerful uppercut he grabbed hold of the green skinned creature's wrist. A simple twist of the hips and the large creature was airborne once more, this time colliding with the gi wearing fighter before crashing down into the abandoned building.

Rushing in, he kicked the hulking green creature in the head, sending it further into the building. Following through with his kick with an equally powerful axe kick, he felt a sudden weight on his back, throwing him off balance and away from the downed fighter.

Roaring in frustration the warrior turned towards his new opponents.

*****

"Get them out of here," Ranma ordered as he charged at the powerful Darkseeker. Having watched some of the brief fight he knew that the two fighters that had fallen victim to the Darkseeker were better than average, perhaps even better than Mousse and Ryoga, definitely as good as Chun-Li and Cammy. He didn't need to beat the creature, just stall it long enough for Mousse and Ryoga to get the two fallen fighters back to the boat.

Rushing in just enough to force the creature back Ranma suddenly stopped, barely avoiding a vicious punch even as the Darkseeker took a step back. The powerful blow had missed him by a scant couple of centimeters, yet the force behind the blow had scrapped his cheek, reminding him of the near miss that Kuno had during their first fight.

A quick front kick kept the Darkseeker just enough off balance to prevent him from countering as well as giving Mousse and Ryoga the time they needed. In the span of those precious few seconds the former rivals had secured both of the unconscious fighters and extracted them from the building.

Feet set, Ranma waited for the Darkseeker to take the offensive. A sudden roundhouse kick nearly caught Ranma off guard, nearly. Dodging a strong knee he countered with a swift backhanded strike that forced his opponent to pull back, putting more distance between them.

The pair traded blows, neither able to gain a true advantage though Ranma knew that he was being forced back more than usual. For every five steps he gave he was normally able to land a blow, but against this Darkseeker he managed to only force his opponent back a step or two, never landing a blow on the very skilled fighter.

And it was that skill that bothered Ranma. None of the previous Darkseekers he'd faced had shown any skill or discipline – except the one back on in Hinata. But this one, this gi wearing warrior was beyond even that. Skilled and disciplined, the extra speed and power of the transformation weren't even necessary for this warrior against the likes of Ranma. Doubting his ability to stay in close with the much more experienced warrior, Ranma channeled golden ki to his hand before firing off the (admittedly weak) orb of ki. Seeing his opponent take another two steps back as his first blow connected, Ranma channeled more golden ki into his hand as his opponent took a sideways stance and lead with his left.

It was the sight of the white ki being channeled between his hands that made Ranma nearly lose his cool. In the back of his mind Ranma knew that he couldn't just dodge the attack – not with the others roughly behind him. And yet he couldn't take the hit, could he? From where he stood he could feel the powerful ki between his opponent's hands. It felt much as though there was more power in that glowing white sphere than in even Ryoga's best Shi Shi Hokoden.

_I've never lost, _Ranma though, his golden ki glowing with unusual brightness_. Ranma Saotome doesn't lose_.

Unable to hold his ki much longer, Ranma unleashed his ki, launching the golden orb at his opponent. A split second later and the warrior responded, launching the white ball of ki.

Slamming his foot onto the pier, Ranma heard and felt the wood snap under his foot. Kicking up the board he launched it after his orb of ki. The resulting explosion was much bigger and powerful than Ranma had expected. With his initial attack blown away by the white ki, Ranma braced himself as the wood beam was also obliterated.

Powerful and overwhelming pain ran through his chest and arms as the powerful blow hit him. Stunned by the blast of light, he tried to find his opponent in the darkness.

A powerful uppercut to the stomach knocked the air out of his lungs even as it propelled him into the air. Still airborne, he was rocked by a lightning quick kick, and then the follow up kick as his opponent spun in the air. Seven more unbelievably powerful kicks rocked him in quick succession. Though not as quick as Chun-Li's kicks, they were much more powerful and fierce.

Landing hard on his face, Ranma instinctively sprung up to his feet as soon as possible.

A glowing orb of light crashed into his unprotected chest, knocking him into the air once again.

_Damn…_

Crashing into the wooden beams he bounced several times before finally falling off the end of the pier. Only the quick and powerful grip of his opponent kept him from falling into the water.

Dazed, he barely even registered the fact that his opponent was holding him a few centimeters from his face.

A feral growl greeted him as he opened his eyes and looked into the red eyes of his opponent.

_I failed… I lost…_

Barely registering the fact that his feet were now on the pier Ranma nearly stumbled to his knees and collapsed into his opponent as the warrior set him down before releasing his hold on Ranma's silk shirt.

The warrior took a step back before offering a formal bow.

Without even thinking, Ranma returned the bow. Looking up, he watched as the victorious warrior Darkseeker stood tall and turned around.

Stunned by the odd turn of events, Ranma fell to his knees. Only the feel of Ryoga and Mousse's strong hands on his arms brought Ranma back to reality.

Slowly, Ranma faded into unconsciousness.

*****

A/N

I think I'll just leave things where they're at for now.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	25. Chapter 25

Author's Notes –

No more disclaimers – I posted them on the first ten chapters or so of the fic. I hope you're not that ignorant of ownership issues with this fic if you've been reading it this long.

Wow, that last chapter took a lot longer to post than I expected. That's the longest I've gone without posting/updating this fic…

Not much else to say. The weather here sucks and I was right – Grey's Anatomy without George sucks. I'm glad they've temporarily gotten rid of Izzy, but seriously, I couldn't care less about everyone else that's there. At least there's House, well, once the MLB playoffs are over, and Glee, which is also stalled due to MLB. Wait, there's Flash Forward… poor Harold… only a few more months until you get murdered. Yes, I know that the character isn't actually Harold (of Harold and Kumar) but that is what he's best known for, well, Sulu in Star Trek… maybe I'll pick that movie up when it comes out…

Anyways, I had originally planned to bring in Rainbow Mika, but decided that the gender disparity would be too great, thus had Darkseeker Ryu kill her in battle (Chapter 23 I believe). Then I recalled that Dan was Japanese, and I'd referenced him before in this fic, and that Blanka was good friends with Dan, thus adding to the cast and the testosterone in the fic. I know the few readers out there are going to hate me later though…

*****

Thirteen seconds – that was a new record for him. Though he really didn't keep track of how long his fights lasted, Ranma knew that few of his fights (at least the ones against actual opponents and not just chumps like most of the guys at school) lasted at least several minutes. Well, there was that one time against Kuno, but that had been a victory. This, well, this was just humbling.

The short trip from the man-made lake to the Hinata Sou was made significantly longer by the injuries that he and the new additions to the group had suffered at the hands of the powerful Darkseeker. Bruised ribs for him, a concussion for Blanka, and a dislocated shoulder for Dan – no serious injuries though they were enough to merit a much slower and relaxed pace for the group.

"Don't feel too bad," Chun-Li said as she walked beside her lover, "Ryu was virtually unbeatable before. I can't imagine how much more powerful he is as a Darkseeker."

Ranma remained silent. He'd accepted his defeat, well, as best as he could. That wasn't what bothered him. It was the fact that the Darkseeker had retained some rational thought and even his discipline. Clearly not all the Darkseekers were mindless creatures. He'd thought that the ones around Hinata were different because of medical collars that they had around their necks, perhaps because someone had treated them with different medication. But Ryu had nothing like that yet was able to make rational decisions.

"I'm positive it was Ryu," Juni (or was it Juli?) said as she stood beside the hulking green beast known as Blanka.

"Dr. Tofu did say that a majority of those who survived the transformation did so because they were in great physical shape," Mousse added as he and Ibuki joined the conversation.

"Who's Ryu?" the ninja asked.

Everyone but Keitaro and Tina stared at the kunoichi.

"Ryu won the first two Street Fighter Tournaments," the strawberry blond Juni explained. "He defeated Sagat to win the first tournament and then defeated Bison in the second Tournament."

"Weren't there three tournaments?" Ryoga asked off handedly.

"Yes, there were," the brunette Juli replied. "Zangief won the third tournament."

"Yeah," Blanka nodded. "Everyone felt that the big Russian won just because Ken and Ryu had exhausted themselves in their match, and Zangief fought the winner before moving on to fight Seth."

"Not everyone," Cammy corrected, "Some people thought Ryu dropped the match. But anyone who really knows Ryu knows he'd never throw a match or not fight all out."

Absently Ranma listened to the conversation. The old, younger Ranma would have loved to hear about the fights, but the current, more mature Ranma couldn't help but wonder if perhaps there were more Darkseekers like Ryu and the lab coat wearing Darkseeker.

*****

The group of twelve survivors (and one gynoid) arrived at the Hinata Sou with little fanfare. Not that anyone other than perhaps Keitaro expected anything else. Reaching the dormitory turned fortified compound for survivors, only Dan and Blanka seemed impressed with the building and the fortifications. Even with the dark clouds overhead that occasionally drenched the travelers with violent showers, there was enough light for the travelers to cross the river safely.

"So they don't like water?" Blanka asked as he eyed the moat/stream that acted as a last line of defense for the compound. Even with the heavy showers the water didn't appear to be deeper than a meter at its deepest.

"They don't like cold water," Mousse explained to the hulking green figure. Even the nearsighted boy couldn't mistake anyone for Blanka, though he had mistaken several trees for the Brazilian fighter. "Well, they don't like the cold in general."

"That's why you were sleeping on those boats," the large fighter nodded.

It was those same rowboats that had allowed them to cross over the admittedly shallow yet rapid river that acted as the primary defense for the compound and island. Injured as the three of them were, the boats had allowed them to cross without having to wade through the swift waters or leap from the few rocks that stood out of the river. It didn't help that the rocks were probably slick with moss even as they stood over the water due to the heavy rain.

"Everything's changed so much," Keitaro mumbled as he looked at the ruined city and the free-roaming wildlife.

"And so have you," Ranma added. "I may not have known you back when you were here before you left for America, but I'm sure that you've changed a lot."

The former ronin nodded even as he stole a glance at the busty blond beside him. A reassuring smile from Tina was all he needed as he reached out and grabbed her hand.

"So do we just wade across?" Dan asked as he eyed the ten meter expanse. "I could probably clear this easily…"

"Maybe we should have brought at least one of the boats," Blanka mused.

Mousse shook his head. Two grappling hooks shout of from his deep sleeves, followed by thick chains tied onto the ends. With the hooks grabbing hold of the tree across the way Thirteen took hold of the loose ends. Holding them at roughly shoulder height she planted her feet.

"You're joking, right?" the busty blond asked skeptically as she eyed the bridge. "Eeep!"

Cammy and Chun-Li quickly lifted the blond American off her feet. Leaping into the air the two street fighters landed gracefully on the chain bridge.

"AAHH!!" Tina shouted as she was carried across the wide stream by the two women.

The blonde's screams quickly brought several inquisitive eyes to the windows facing the group as the remaining Hinata Sou survivors gathered and watched the spectacle.

Not bothering to wave at the girls, Ranma simply watched as Ryoga and Mousse lifted Keitaro off the ground and forcibly carried the former ronin over the expanse.

"Waah!" the ronin shouted as he was manhandled by the two younger men.

"Don't even go there," Blanka stated as he glanced at Ranma and Dan. Taking a running start he launched himself into the air before curling into a tight ball and flew across the stream/moat.

Shaking his head, Dan simply leapt onto the chains. Were it not for the sudden gust of wind the older Hibiki would have made it across without incident. As it was though Dan missed a step as the violent gust of wind pulled the chain further away than he had anticipated, resulting in the injured fighter falling into the stream below.

Ranma repressed a snicker, though there was plenty of laughter from the gallery of girls on the third floor and the roof as the assembled Hinata Sou survivors watched on.

Holding out his hand to his cousin, Ryoga helped the older fighter out of the stream.

Next the nearly identical Juli and Juni quickly and nimbly crossed the makeshift bridge, leaving only Ranma and the gynoid Thirteen. Taking the chains out of her hands, Ranma threw them back at Mousse. Taking a running start he leapt high into the air even as Thirteen flew through the air (via her jet pack). Both landed gracefully on the other side of the stream without any difficulty, though Ranma's ribs and lungs had sent a sharp pain through his chest.

"Welcome back," the tall, lean doctor said as he patted Mousse and Ryoga on their respective shoulders. "I'm Dr. Ono Tofu," he said, offering his hand to Dan.

"Dan Hibiki," the fighter replied confidently. "And this is my friend Blanka."

"Blanka, the Brazilian Street Fighter?" the astonished doctor asked as he eyed the muscled behemoth that was Blanka. "It's an honor."

Dan scowled. Clearly everyone else had overlooked the fact that he was a Street Fighter as well.

Accepting the doctor's bow and handshake, the green skinned fighter glanced at Dan. "Th-thank you," he replied. "But you know that Dan was in the last Street Fighter Tournament as well."

"Oh," Dr. Tofu replied, "I knew that, but as a doctor I've been fascinated by, well, your case."

Tsuruko coughed, drawing a temporary halt to the doctor's conversation.

Stepping forward Keitaro stood confidently as he glanced at the remaining Hinata Sou girls. "This is Tina Foster," he said in a firm tone that clarified his relationship with the busty woman. "And this is Juni" he indicated the strawberry blond fighter "and Juli" he gestured towards the brunette.

"And this is Chun-Li," Ranma said as he slipped his arm behind the Chinese fighter, placing his hand on her waist, "and Cammy" again he slipped his other hand behind the long haired blond beside him and put his hand on her waist, signifying his close relationship with the two women as he pulled them closer to him.

The quick glance between Motoko and Kanako didn't escape the pigtailed youth's notice, though he simply chose not to say anything about it.

"This is Tsuruko Aoyama, and her sister Motoko Aoyama," Dr. Tofu stated once it was clear that Keitaro was not going to leave the blond woman's side or that Ranma, Mousse, or Ryoga were going to complete the introductions. "Kanako Urashima – Keitaro's adopted sister, Naru Narusagawa, Mutsumi Otohime, and Su."

"Hiya!" the energetic blond said as she jumped up to hug the dorm manager.

"Hey Su," Keitaro gasped as the smaller blond had forced the air out of his lungs.

"How was America? Did you bring any souvenirs? Did you at least bring me some bananas?"

*****

A cool, artificial breeze filled Dr. Tofu's makeshift clinic, bringing several patches of goose bumps to the shirtless youth as he waited for the doctor to complete his exam.

"You didn't have to come back you know," the doctor stated as he gently pressed the dark bruise on Ranma's ribs.

"I know," the pigtailed boy replied. "But I didn't come back for myself – I came back so that Ryoga and Mousse could get cured."

"So they don't have their curse anymore? What about you?"

The raven haired youth shook his head. "I'm not going to be pumping out babies anytime soon," he replied. "And with Dan and Blanka around I'm sure that the 'gene pool' should be diverse enough for our small community."

"So why did you come back?" the doctor asked as he examined the various scrapes on Ranma's back and shoulders.

"Because I was right," he answered honestly. "I knew that you guys wouldn't listen to me because you saw me as a kid still. Just like you guys did back at the Kuno's, you treated us like kids and thus decided that our voices weren't worth listening to. You respect me as a martial artist, but not as an adult. I couldn't do anything to change your minds, so I left."

"And now you're back." Standing up he looked the younger martial artist in the eyes. "So what are you going to do?"

"There's going to be revolution," Ranma smirked. "You've been thinking about things the wrong way. Darkseekers aren't the enemy, they're just a problem. You've been treating them like a pack of wolves, rabid wolves, but wolves none the less."

"Well they have been hunting down normal humans for food," Dr. Tofu countered.

"Yes, but that's because most of them need food," Ranma conceded. "But not all of them hunt humans. These bruises, they're from a Darkseeker that beat me. He didn't just beat me - he fought with great discipline and skill in a style that I've only heard of."

"You're just making excuses for why you lost," Tsuruko said slyly. "There is no shame in losing to something much more powerful than a typical human."

Ignoring the swordswoman, Ranma locked eyes with the doctor. "Doc, you've known me for how long? You know that I don't make excuses for my losses."

"No, you don't," the older man replied. "You train harder and fight all the harder next time."

"This guy, this Darkseeker, he used to be a Street Fighter," Ranma stated. "And he was the best. It was Ryu."

"Ryu - the man who defeated Sagat and Bison to win the first and second Street Fighter Tournaments?!" Tsuruko said, clearly skeptical.

"It's true," Blanka growled. "I've fought him enough times to know that it was Ryu. The tattered white gi, those red gloves, those moves, and the Hadoken of his… It was Ryu."

"Though I am loathed to admit it, it was Ryu that we lost to," Dan stated as he sat up. "Those moves were from the true Shotokan School. Years ago Gouken expelled me from the school, and I've been teaching a bastardized version of it. That's why Sakura was practicing with me, to learn the basics of the Shotokan. But when Ryu saw her potential he took her from me…"

"She kicked his ass once and he wanted to be her teacher since then," Blanka whispered to Ranma. "But this is the first time he's told me about Gouken."

"Any student of karate has access to a white gi," the swordswoman remarked, brushing aside their arguments.

"But none of them can fire off a Hakoden," Chun-Li countered. "Just because it's not convenient for you to believe that the Darkseekers are mindless creatures doesn't mean that is true."

Cammy nodded. It was a good thing that she and Chun-Li had come to visit Ranma in the clinic; then again, it really wasn't too far from their room. "Ryu's Hadoken is distinctive even from other Shotokan practicioners. Akuma's is like black flames, Ken's is like red flames, and Dan's is, well, kinda pale… Even Sakura's isn't as bright or solid as Ryu's."

Faced with four former Street Fighters, Tsuruko knew that she couldn't win that argument.

"We saw Ranma fire his…"

"Moko Takabisha," Ranma said, filling in the gap for Cammy.

"'Dominating Fierce Tiger'?" Tsuruko muttered, clearly amused by the name of the attack.

"Yeah, that golden ball of ki," Cammy said, ignoring the swordswoman. "Ranma hit Ryu with his Moko Takabisha, and then Ryu decided to up the ante and shot his Hodoken at Ranma."

"You forgot that he also hit Ranma with his Tornado Whirlwind Kick and the Shin Shoryu-ken," Chun-Li interjected.

"He hit you with all those and you're still alive?" Dr. Tofu exclaimed.

Ranma's shoulders slumped. "Yes, he's better than me," the dejected youth replied sourly. Clearly he had not gotten the point of what the doctor had actually said.

"He had Ranma dead to rights," Ryoga added, piling on to Ranma's misery.

"I thought that he only grabbed Ranma because he wanted a quick meal, especially since we took Dan and Blanka from him," the nearsighted martial artist said. "But when he set you down and just bowed…"

"At least you remembered to bow before you blacked out," Ryoga chided.

"Anyways, it's clear that not all Darkseekers are mindless monsters," Chun-Li stated, drawing everyone back to the original conversation.

"We shouldn't have to worry about that," Tsuruko said coolly. "After we made Hinata an island Mousse and Ryoga scoured the island and drove off the few Darkseekers."

"What about the lab coat guy?" Ranma asked, drawing everyone's attention to him. "There was a group of six Darkseekers – one male wearing a lab coat, two adults, and three younger ones. They worked well as a team and the male was a good fighter. I think he was primarily using Jeet Kune Do."

"Jeet Kune Do?" Tsuruko repeated, clearly skeptical.

"Well, it's like Anything Goes really," Ranma stated. "But he was using basic attacks from various schools and styles, but had adapted them to fit his needs and purpose. Most fighters I know use just a single style as that's all that they've learned. But this Darkseeker, he used a lot of Karate and Muay Thai and conventional kickboxing as well as French savate.

"Anyways, he showed good discipline and control while we fought. He wasn't just mindlessly attacking me or relying on muscle memory – he had a clear-cut strategy and game the first time and the second time he adapted his attack pattern to try and lure me into attacking."

The swordswoman weighed his words, not sure what to make of what he'd told her. With so many experienced fighters siding with the young martial artists, and so many clearly believing that the young upstart had any credibility Tsuruko knew that she couldn't just disregard him. Clearly this Ranma was much more of a threat than the young, immature fighter that had run away some month or so ago.

"What do you propose we do?" she finally asked.

"For now, nothing," he answered, surprising her. "We don't instigate fights with them. If there are Darkseekers that are hungry we just knock them out and direct them towards another food source. There are plenty of deer and pigs" he caught Ryoga's slight tremor "and other animals around that they can feed off of. If need be we'll just relocate any Darkseekers."

A pregnant silence filled the clinic. Though it had started as just a brief discussion between Ranma and the older martial artists, all the other fighters, and the rest of the survivors had found themselves drawn to the discussion.

"That's fine," Mutsumi finally said, breaking the silence. "Even though they are infected, they're still people underneath."

Ranma nodded, surprised that the trio of 'adults' had conceded as much as they had. Things were going to be different this time around.

*****

The open air, hot springs bath had always been, well, memorable for the returning Keitaro Urashima. There had been that initial meeting with Naru when she'd 'accidentally' grabbed hold of little Keitaro. And then there was the incident with Naru when he was cleaning the hot springs.

Settling into the hot water, Keitaro couldn't help but think that many of his memories of the hot springs were of the hot-headed auburn haired girl. Stealing a glance at Naru and the remaining Hinata girls, the former ronin sighed as he noted their cold, questioning glances.

"Just relax," Ranma suggested as the pigtailed martial artist flashed a warm, comforting smile at the older man.

"Easy for you to say," Keitaro lamented as the petit yet curvy Cammy and the elegant and sexy Chun-Li settled in beside the martial artist.

The old boundaries of gender specific sides for the hot springs no longer existed with the presence of the newest residents. The arrival of the more sexually mature and confident Chun-Li and Cammy as well as the tensions between Tina and the remaining original residents of the Hinata Sou made the 'female' side of the open air baths feel rather chilly. Joining their respective lovers on the 'male' side of the baths they broke all the old rules, throwing every established but unspoken rule as they settled in the hot water beside the men.

With Juli and Juni joining the other women on the now crowded 'male' side of the baths it was no surprised to everyone that the large group began to slowly claim more of the baths as they easily outnumbered the remaining Hinata Sou residents.

Motoko and Naru simply watched, mouths clenched tight to prevent them from hanging open in shock and astonishment at the bold women who dared to sit beside and among the perverted men. It had been one thing for Ibuki to allow Mousse to tend to her hair, but for the kunoichi to lounge beside him was another thing altogether. And the shameless… women that had obviously lost any and all common sense and decency when they encountered the gender changing freak…

Ranma didn't need to be telepathic to know what the two girls were thinking. It was plain as day to him and to Keitaro. Though the runty former ronin was afraid to hurt people's feelings (a sentiment that he once held onto back in Nerima) Ranma no longer held onto those naïve thoughts.

Contemplating how and what he was going to say, the pigtailed martial artist sighed as he watched Naru and Motoko silently fume.

"Now isn't the time," Chun-Li whispered to him gently as she gently stroked his thigh.

"I know," he replied.

"It's not your fight," Keitaro interjected.

"You're right, it's not," Ranma conceded. "But it'll affect all the other men here regardless of the outcome."

The scrawny man nodded. "But I'm the face of the enemy to them. I'm the one that needs to handle this."

Beside him the busty blond glanced nervously at her lover and the pigtailed young man. It was odd to her that the other women would be so interested in Keitaro and hold hit against him that he ended up with another woman. It had never been that hard for Kaoru even with all the other residents chasing after him. None of them had held it against Aoi that she had ended up with him, though some of them refused to give up on Kaoru even though he was with Aoi.

Clinging to Keitaro's arms she leaned against him, unconsciously pressing her ample breasts against him as she did so.

The evil glare that Naru and Motoko shot her and Keitaro was obvious to everyone, making even Blanka and Dan pause to as the tensions in the open air baths became apparent to everyone.

No one said a thing as the thick, humid air held everyone in place. Slowly the sound of the pouring rain against the tarp overhead died down, announcing that the storm had let up ever so slightly.

"I'm going to bed," Su announced suddenly as she pulled her towel around herself.

"Okay," Motoko said as she reluctantly turned away from the former ronin and dorm manager, forcing a somewhat relaxed smile onto her face as she addressed her friend and neighbor's departure.

"Her air filter probably started to give out," Dr. Tofu stated idly as he stood up and exited the hot water to wash his hair.

"She's not resistant to the airborne virus," Ranma stated. "The first time I met her she was inside her Mecha Tama and couldn't come out."

"Really?" the busty blond exclaimed.

Nodding, Ranma smiled as he ignored the obvious tension and focused on telling Tina about how he'd first met Su.

*****

A/N

I think I'll just leave things where they're at for now.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	26. Chapter 26

Author's Notes –

Sorry, no disclaimers here – if you're looking for it then go back to the first few chapters.

For the Street Fighter canon I'm sort of following the Udon Comic version, though, as I've stated before, this takes place after Street Fighter 4 but before Street Fighter 3 (take it up with Capcom, they decided to go back in time for ST4) and of course I've pushed that Zangief won SF4 (because he's the first guy I beat the game with). Comic cannon has Blanka as a former test subject, and subsequently beaten and abused by Killer Bee, though I'm sure that Blanka has at least gotten over some of that trauma since the second Street Fighter tournament.

*****

The long shadows flickered in the steadily darkening caverns and tunnels beneath Library Island as Albireo watched the interactions of the survivors gathered in the Hinata Sou's open air bath. Confined as he was to dwell beneath the magical roots of the World Tree, the mage smirked as the much more mature Ranma Saotome threw more wrenches into Tsuruko's well laid plans. Having traveled with her elder brother he knew enough about the unofficial head of the Shinmeiryuu as well as the school itself (though not the actual techniques). As such it wasn't hard for him to discretely discover the subtle hints that Tsuruko provided about her plans and goals for re-establishing the Shinmeiryuu. Then again, Eishun had stated that his younger sister would do anything to rebuild the school – namely forcing the few survivors to procreate, thus providing her with another generation of fighters who could (in theory) fight the Darkseekers and any other threats. The fact that Ranma Saotome and his companions Mousse and Ryoga were exceptional fighters who were perhaps on par with Tsuruko if not better, yet were much more impressionable due to their age, were forced to live in the same facility with her, well, all the better for Tsuruko's plan of re-establishing the Shinmeiryuu.

With Thirteen forgotten by the rest of the survivors at the Hinata Sou as they bathed, the mage sent a new order to the gynoid, overriding its primary mission of simply observing the significantly larger group. Setting the magical incense into the air vents, the mage smirked as the gynoid screwed the cover to the vents back on. This was going to be interesting.

*****

The cloudy night sky slowly brightened as the last of the survivors exited the open air baths. With only a few Darkseekers on the island and with the various defenses and the moat/stream protecting the Hinata Sou the survivors felt relaxed and relieved to be able to enjoy some luxuries.

As one of two original Hinata Sou residents, Naru couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable about the arrival of the newer survivors. Not only had Keitaro returned with his new lover, but the questionable Dan Hibiki, cousin to the perverted Ryoga Hibiki, didn't help soothe her mind. Yes, he was a Street Fighter, but really, he didn't inspire too much confidence in her. And then there was the beastly Blanka who looked as savage and powerful as a Darkseeker. She really couldn't look at him without trembling.

Laying down on her futon the half-dressed beauty simply stared at the ceiling as she listened to the new residents and the old residents arguing over the vacant rooms and who was going to live where. Motoko could be heard clearly refusing to allow any of the men to live in the "women's" wing of the 3rd floor, but she also refused to allow Cammy and Chun-Li to share a room with Ranma in the "men's" wing of the 3rd floor.

"We'll just take up the rooms on the second floor," Keitaro finally said, putting his foot down on the subject.

Listening to the sound of the large group of survivors retreating down to the second floor, Naru couldn't help but wonder if Keitaro was going to go back to his old room, the one right below hers that was connected with the hole in her floor/his ceiling.

The gentle rapping at her door startled her, pulling her suddenly from her thoughts. "Naru?" It was Keitaro.

"One sec," she replied as she pulled her robe on tighter. Lacking any motivation after the bath, she had forsaken the thought of getting dressed for bed or of going out to join the others in the common area on the third floor. Having chosen to simply stay in her own room the auburn haired beauty had forgotten that she was laying on her futon with her robe only partially covering her body.

Standing up she tightened her robe before moving to the door. "Come in," she said coolly as she slid the door open for her former study buddy turned lost love.

"Thanks," he muttered, stepping over the threshold. "I noticed that you weren't around when…"

"Yeah," she replied, closing the door behind Keitaro. "I didn't feel like doing anything."

An odd tension filled the room as the two stood face to face for the first time in a long time. Neither was sure what to say, or how to react, yet both felt the familiar awkwardness of the moment as they were reminded of the first few times they had been alone together.

_It used to be awkward because he was such a klutz and would trip over something and end up on top of me or pulling my skirt down_, the auburn haired girl thought, recalling several incidents where he'd done just that.

Taking a step forward the auburn haired beauty caught her foot on her long robe, tripping herself even as she lamented about her companion's clumsiness.

Instinctively Keitaro reached out, catching the woman who used to be in so many of his fantasies in his arms. Despite his best efforts, the two tumbled onto Naru's futon as her forward momentum overcame his surprising dexterity. Landing on top of him she gulped, feeling a slight blush creping through her face as she felt his slowly growing erection press against her stomach even as her breasts pressed against his chest.

"Naru," he gasped, clearly expecting her to belt him.

Leaning forward she kissed him. Even though she was upset that he had slept with another woman, she couldn't deny that it wasn't entirely his fault. She, no, they had plenty of chances before, but she'd always held back. Hell, even just kissing him the first time had taken a monumental effort.

_What the hell am I doing?_ she thought as she felt his warm lips return her kiss. _Isn't this what I wanted though? Didn't I want him to kiss me?_

The tender kiss quickly became a passionate one as she leaned into him, pressing her less than ample breasts (compared to Tina's mammoth breasts even Mutsumi looked small next to the blond woman) into his chest as she lay down on him.

For his part Keitaro wasn't sure why his body was simply reacting, as part of him wanted to pull away and leave the beautiful goddess that was holding him down. He had Tina after all, and he did love her, but most of him wanted to stay with Naru. Could he handle being shared by the women? Wait, Ranma had Cammy and Chun-Li – why the hell couldn't he have Tina and Naru?

Sliding his hand under Naru's robe he slowly hiked it up, exposing her bare thigh to his calloused fingers and hand. With other hand he began to caress her beautiful face and neck, ever so slowly working her robe down her shoulders and exposing her fleshy mounds even as they pressed against his chest. Deftly he slid the robe off before sweeping her off her hands and knees, swiftly switching their positions even.

In a matter of moments Keitaro was completely naked, kneeling over her with his cock completely hard. Seeing his erection she paused, this was where she'd stopped Ranma.

Sensing her hesitation, the be-speckled ronin paused as well, not sure if she had reconsidered. "Maybe I should go," he whispered, slowly reaching for his boxers.

Swallowing a lump in her throat, she closed her eyes and shook her head, whispering, "No, it's ok, just… just put it in…"

Nodding, Keitaro climbed carefully onto the futon, balancing himself on his palms as he carefully positioned his cock between her legs, directly up against her pussy lips.

"AH!"

"Does it hurt…?" he asked. She was a virgin after all. He'd have to take it easy on her, just like the first time with Tina.

"No," Naru confessed weakly, "it's just… really big." _Well, not as big as Ranma, though I, we, never, well, finished things off_.

Keitaro looked down. Having seen the pigtailed martial artist when they were dressing in the changing room he knew that he wasn't as large as Ranma. And she'd clearly seen Ranma from what the pigtailed boy had told him. "I'll go slowly," he whispered reassuringly.

The auburn haired beauty nodded gratefully. Closing her eyes she mentally prepared herself for the pain that penetration would bring. Slight shivers ran through her body as she felt Keitaro's cock sliding up and down between her labia, gathering up as much of her juice as he could to ensure that he didn't hurt her when he put it in. Once he was satisfied that he was as slick as he could be, he reached down and grabbed the base of his dick, sliding it down until he felt Naru's lips part and the opening to her vagina waiting at the tip.

Leaning in close he whispered in her ear, "Ready?" His warm breath sent a wave of pleasure through her bare neck, reaching deep down to her spine.

Gulping, she dug her fingertips into his back. Unable to speak past her parched lips, she nodded.

Catching her signal he took a deep breath before he started to penetrate her.

"Y-yes," Naru gasped, watching, riveted, as Keitaro slowly slid into her. "O-oh…!"

It was terrifying to feel his shaft splitting her labia apart, because she had never experienced anything like it, but it was also terrifying… because it was good and yet painful at the same time. But would the next time be even better since Keitaro had taken her virginity? Would it be painful the first time with Ranma?

"G-good, it's so nice…" she exclaimed, her teeth chattering as her body trembled from the pure pleasure of the wonderful sensation of him sliding further and further into her.

Naru's head thumped back onto the mattress, sweat popping out on her brow as Keitaro started to fuck her. It was unlike anything she'd ever done with her fingers. It was so good that it was terrifying. Was this why Kitsune professed a love of having sex?

Every time Keitaro pushed forward, his cock plunged in and touched places Naru wasn't even aware existed. If she hadn't been blushing already, the realization that her toes were curled would have brought color to her cheeks as all the clichés she'd heard about having good sex turned out to be true.

Her legs shook as Keitaro leaned down and wrapped his lips around her right nipple, suckling it gently as he pushed her right leg a bit higher, spreading her further apart and letting his dick go in even deeper.  
"Uh-ahhh…!"

Naru cried out as she felt immensely satisfied and content, temporarily forgetting all her worries as a wave of pure bliss encompassed her very being. "Mmmm…!"

She groaned as Keitaro slowed his pace, letting her recover, but not stopping completely as he pushed himself up on one arm and began exploring her body with his free hand. He touched everywhere he could reach, his eyes tracing the path of his calloused palm as he ran it along the curve of her side, around her hip, and down to her ass, squeezing it appreciatively before moving up to her breasts. She bit her lip as he slid all the way in and held still, the throb of his pulse running through his cock and sending shivers down her spine as he began playing with her nipples, content, it seemed, to caress her swollen breasts while his cock split her pussy apart.

It hit her suddenly that she was ready to come again—aching for a second climax as her body trembled and twitched, recalling the pleasure of the last. She didn't know if it was the sex itself, or Keitaro's skill with it, but she felt like she could keep coming and coming and coming if he kept up his rhythm of fucking her, then stopping to touch her, then fucking her again. She could go on all night at this rate; could he keep this up all night?

_God, is this what he learned to do with Tina? Has he been practicing this on her as well?_ Somewhere deep down she knew she couldn't completely let go of the fact that he was with the blond first. And yet… she really wanted to be with him and not be distracted by thoughts of others.

Steeling her resolve she forced down a large breath of air into her lungs. Meeting his eyes, Naru did the one thing she promised she absolutely would not do. She begged.

"Please keep fucking me," she groaned, shuddering as he tweaked her left nipple. _God, I can't believe I said 'fuck'_, she thought, _but it feels so good_. "Let me feel it again, alright? Please…?"

Keitaro nodded, blinking sweat out of his eyes as he softly asked, "Do you want to try another position…?"

A million flashed through Naru's mind, but she shook her head, closing her eyes as she whispered, "No I want to stay just like this… I want to remember it just like this…"

Wetting his lips with his course tongue Keitaro teased, "Well, ok, but I think you'd like it if we try… this…"

Naru paled as Keitaro pushed her leg a little higher and slowly forced his cock the rest of the way in, burying himself so deep that she felt his balls coming to rest against her pussy lips.

"Do you like that…?" he asked teasingly. Clearly he knew that she'd love it like this.

"Y-yes," Naru admitted with a gasp, her flat stomach fluttering as she concentrated on the feeling of being that deeply penetrated. "Touch me there," she begged, directing his hard cock so that it rubbed her sensitive clit.

Her mouth hung open as Keitaro did what she said, and as she had thought… it blew her mind. "Hmmm…" she gritted her teeth, her wide-spread legs shaking as she experienced a mind blowing orgasm, her pussy gripping Keitaro's throbbing prick like a vice. This was like nothing she'd ever experienced before.

She had been wrong: there was no way she could keep this up all night—it was too exciting… too new. The first orgasm had been incredible, but the second had nearly knocked her out. If this kept up she'd pass out after the next one.

Not wanting to be completely selfish, she reached down, tentatively grabbing Keitaro's balls. She couldn't believe that he was that deep inside of her that his balls were pressed right up against her ass.

There was just one thing left that Naru wanted to feel.

Looking up at Keitaro's eyes, she slowly began massaging his balls. "Come inside me," she whispered, her parched mouth as dry as a baked clay pot. Startled by her boldness, Keitaro simply gaped at her.

The feeling was too much for Keitaro to resist. He had been holding back a long time, but having Naru rub his balls and BEG for his come had aroused him like nothing he'd ever experienced or expected. Licking his lips again he pumped his hips several times, driving himself as deep into her as possible, he gritted his teeth and went off, launching his sperm deep into Naru's hot, wet pussy.

Naru's eyes widened as she felt him explode inside of her. She could feel Keitaro's balls twitching as they pumped shot after shot of fresh sperm into her – it was an intensely sensual feeling of satisfaction, on par with the last orgasm she'd just experienced. She was so aware of everything in her pussy that she imagined she could even feel her cervix opening wide to let his semen rush even deeper.

"Ooo that feels good," she sighed, reaching down to cup his balls as they slowly relaxed; their task complete. "Mmm… it feels so hot…!"

Overcome with the feeling of closeness they were sharing, Keitaro leaned down and kissed her, their tongues immediately intertwining as he finished emptying his balls inside of her. As they parted, he looked into her eyes, taken with the intensity of her gaze as she reached up to caress his cheek.

He kissed her again, slipping his tongue past her lips even as she closed her eyes and tilted her head, matching his enthusiasm as she snaked her hands down to rub his balls… and amazingly, he started to get hard despite having been spent and limp just a few moments ago; slowly expanding until it was back to its full size. Without breaking their kiss, Keitaro began to fuck her, loving the sounds coming from the back of her throat as he slowly pumped her abused pussy, forcing semen out of it and down the crack of her ass.

"Mmm…" Naru groaned, "Mmm!"

Keitaro increased the tempo, amazed at how willing Naru was to fuck. There was definitely a feeling of urgency between them as she started to rock her hips, putting both of her hands on his shoulder blades and urging him to fuck her faster. The little sounds in the back of her throat grew more and more desperate as she spread her legs as wide and as far as she could, sticking them nearly straight out and giving him complete access to her pussy—which he took advantage of, picking up the pace until he was driving into her with all of his might.

"Ah! AH! AHH!!" he screamed. Unable to hold himself back, he found himself fighting for breath as he felt his body tensing.

The feel of Naru's hot lips on his, hungrily kissing him as they shared this moment of unbound passion robbed him of his breath. Slowly reaching another orgasm the auburn haired girl broke away from the kiss as she let out a series of short, erotic cries, raking her fingernails up and down on Keitaro's back as they fucked as hard as they could. Gasping for air, Naru let out a long, satisfied moan as she felt her own body going limp as wave after wave of pure, unadulterated pleasure ran through ever cell and fiber of her being. Her body trembled even as Keitaro continued to pound her pussy hard with deliberate and powerful thrusts, each one rubbing up against her clit and sending more stimuli into her already overloaded mind. After a few more thrusts Keitaro felt himself explode, his balls pumping more of his seed into Naru's welcoming pussy.

"Auh!" he grunted, collapsing onto his lover as his exhausted yet satisfied body gave in to gravity.

*****

The sounds of Naru and Keitaro's passion filled the Hinata Sou, or at least appeared to for those unfortunate few who had claimed the rooms right beside Naru and Keitaro's rooms. One of those unfortunate individuals had to be him.

Sighing, as he tried to cover his ears, Ryoga waited for the sound of Keitaro's grunting to die down before crawling out of his futon. Sure that he'd be able to find somewhere else to sleep (as he wasn't sure that Keitaro and Naru or anyone else in the Sou for that matter wouldn't start up) the shirtless, bandana wearing martial artist ran for it.

He didn't know how he ended up on the roof, especially since he was trying to find the kitchen, but he didn't really care. He needed fresh air, the stifling air inside just drove him crazy. Unafraid of the weather, the bandana wearing boy was surprised by the clear night sky devoid of any clouds. Taking a deep breath of clean, cool air, he sighed as he turned his face up towards the unusual moon.

"Who-" he managed to get out as he spotted the unfamiliar woman standing on the railing. "Wait, what are you doing here? Who are you?"

The sultry blond looked over her shoulder at him, smiling as she did so. "Ryoga," she said.

"D-do I know you?" he managed to ask as he walked over to the exotic beauty. Standing on the railing as she was her short skirt and the gentle night's breeze provided him with a brief view of her panties.

"I've been waiting," the tanned woman said with a seductive smile. Holding out her hand she waited for him to walk over to her.

Reaching out, the mesmerized youth grabbed hold of her delicate yet strong hand, gently helping her down from her perch on the railing. Lowering her down to him he wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling her warm, tanned skin of her bare mid-rift against his chest.

"This must be a dream," he muttered as he felt her breasts press against his chest. Breathing deeply he took in her fragrant scent – sweet like banana blossoms yet a hint of spiciness… Her top, like her skirt, were clearly too small for her as the fabric strained to contain her full breasts. True, they weren't as big as Mutsumi or Tina's, but they were definitely full and firm.

"Then I hope I never wake up," the woman replied as she lowered her face to his, gently kissing his lips.

Unsure if he was dreaming or awake, but not wishing to end whatever it was, Ryoga gave in to his raging hormones. _Kami, I've restrained myself around the others_, he reminded himself even as he savored the gentle, probing kisses from the tanned beauty. Running his fingers through her lovely blond hair he pulled her closer as he slipped his tongue past her soft lips.

A gentle moan escaped her lips as she pressed her tongue against his, matching his passion and desire with her own.

Snaking his hand down to her firm ass he began to massage it as he pressed her to him. Feeling her grinding against his steadily growing erection he let out a feral growl of approval and pleasure as he broke the kiss, and began to trail kisses down her chin and neck.

Delicate but graceful fingers ran through his hair, stoking his passion as she clung to him.

Emboldened by her actions, Ryoga slid his hand under her moist panties. A passionate groan of approval responded to his calloused fingers as he massaged her quickly moistening slit. After several passionate strokes his fingers were covered with her juices. A light gasp of pleasure escaped her lips as he penetrated her labia with his finger. Probing her hot womanhood he quickly found her engorged clit.

Passionate moans escaped the mysterious girl's lips as he stimulated her carefully with his fingers. Fighting back the urge to simply overpower her with the pleasurable stimuli, the powerful fighter set her on the railing, freeing his other hand to pull down his pants enough to expose himself to her. Reaching down he pulled her panties down before spreading her wide and rubbing his engorged head against her wet slit. Rubbing his engorged head against her wet labia, he removed his finger from her hot opening, prompting her to moan – partially in protest but also in anticipation for his manhood.

Grabbing hold of her firm thighs he spread her wide, gently pushing his lubricated head into her and drawing a gasp of pleasure from her. Just as with Akane Ryoga fought to maintain control, not wanting to harm the delicate woman with his overpowering strength as he made love to her. Slowly he worked more and more of him into her hot opening, forcing out light gasps of pleasure from her with each deliberate thrust.

Completely buried inside of her, he was surprised by the sudden feel of his lover biting into his shoulder. Shouting as the odd mixture of pleasure and pain hit his brain, the fanged martial artist kissed the mysterious blond passionately even as he grabbed hold of her firm ass. Feeling her strong, slender legs wrapped around his waist he began to thrust into her with relentlessly.

Breaking away from the kisses the tanned beauty began to let out pleasure-filled screams with each powerful thrust. Goaded on by her enthusiasm Ryoga repeatedly thrust into her repeatedly, steadily increasing the power and speed of his thrusts each time.

Feeling her body trembling as she orgasmed with him still inside of her Ryoga slowed his tempo. Crushing her to him he kissed her passionately as he lifted her off of the railing before setting her on the wooden planks. Licking his lips he pulled her top up, exposing her firm breasts and erect nipples. Gently fondling her lovely mounds, he savored the feel of her firm body beneath his hands.

Passionate moans filled the night as he began to tease her sensitive nipples. Balancing himself on his knees and one hand, he took one of her succulent nipples into his mouth. Her pleasure-filled moans answered each loving flicker of his hot, course tongue. Feeling her dig her powerful nails into his back he began to pump his hips once again, drawing more moans from her.

After several more thrusts he felt his body tense then explode as an unbelievable wave of pleasure filled his body even as he exploded inside of her. "Guhh!" he grunted, his lungs heaving as he fought for breath.

Exhausted beyond anything he'd ever experienced, the bandana wearing martial artist sighed contently. _If this is a dream I hope I never wake up_, he thought even as his tired eyes slowly closed.

*****

The sounds and smells of sex filled the Hinata Sou, driving some into hiding while not bothering others. For someone like Ranma sex was more than just a physical act that was extremely pleasurable, it was a way for him to connect and share himself with his lovers. Hearing Keitaro with his lover and Dr. Tofu with Mutsumi and Tsuruko didn't bother him, though he was sure that the old him would have been disturbed. Still, he really didn't want to see them in the act, either in real life or in his mind's eye.

Like many of the other residents who couldn't get past the obvious sounds of love making, Ranma wandered the halls of the Hinata Sou alone (as Chun-Li and Cammy had been satisfied by his impressive sex drive earlier that night). His unrefined sense of smell managed to catch the scent of the women in the Sou who were obviously enjoying their bonding time with their lovers. Restless, the pigtailed martial artist found another figure standing in the hallway.

"Tina," he called out, startling the busty blond woman.

"R-Ranma?"

Slowly the math added up. Blinking, he carefully considered what he was going to say. "You alright?" he blurted out without knowing what he was saying. _That was stupid_, he chastised himself.

"Yeah," she replied weakly.

"No, you're not," he corrected. "I know it's hard, but you'll be alright."

Walking over to her he pulled her to him, literally offering her his shoulder to cry on. Gentle sobs racked her suddenly frail body.

"You have to understand," he consoled, "they've got history. Whatever happens, he, they need to settle their history with each other. I know he loves you, but he also loves her. It's not easy for him. Not for you, and not for her."

"I know," she sobbed. "H-he loves her more."

_Man, this is harder than I expected_, Ranma thought as he slowly led her away from Keitaro's room and towards his room where his lovers slumbered. This was more than he could handle alone.

*****

A/N

Hmmm… what is there to say? No, Keitaro isn't just going to discard Tina.

Dreamingfox


	27. Chapter 27

Author's Notes –

If you're looking for a disclaimer go back to the first ten chapters or so.

Yes, Darkseeker Ryu ended up killing Rainbow Mika two chapters back. Some of you may have found that hard to believe considering that he didn't kill Dan or Blanka, or Ranma when he faced them. When he fought them the later three didn't freeze, didn't hesitate. Rainbow did, and that was the deciding factor between her living and dying. Had she prepared herself for the powerful blow or tried to dodge she would have at least lasted beyond the second attack. I wasn't happy that she died but it was necessary. That or bring her back as a Darkseeker and I'm not going to do that.

My computer's dead, and the wife has gotten hooked on the evil Face games. Updates for this and other fics won't be as recent until I get a new computer for myself.

Aside from that there's not much to say – just read and review.

* * * * *

The full, reddish moon glared down at the desolate cityscape, daring anyone to step out into the night to face its murderous wrath. At least that was how the Killer saw the night as it was tainted by the reddish hue of the unusual moon. Standing in the middle of the nearly empty plaza the Killer patiently waited for his prey to wander onto the killing fields.

The distant howls slowly came closer, signaling the approach of a large group of Darkseekers.

_Six, seven, eight, nine_, he counted, slowly distinguishing the distinctive howls and calls of at least nine different Darkseekers. _Ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen_, he grinned. _This should be interesting_, the killer smirked.

With the clear light of the moon shining down on the plaza the Killer knew that the Darkseekers were greatly disadvantaged. Before they at least had an edge on being able to see where he could not, but with the full moon hanging high in the night sky there was enough light for him to see well enough to essentially negate that advantage, making the fact that he was about to fight many more Darkseekers than normal less daunting to the experience fighter.

Seeing that they were trying to circle around him the Killer charged at the closest of the Darkseekers, crushing its skull with a powerful right cross that lead into a spinning back roundhouse that connected with the next Darkseeker's ribs, collapsing its lungs as he shattered the ribs.

A distinct howl called back the rest of the Darkseekers, signaling their quick retreat.

Startled by their quick retreat the Killer looked up at the pack's alpha. His keen eyesight could make out two distinctly feminine figures stood atop a ruined building in the distance, calling back the rest of the pack sans two.

Robbed of his prey, the Killer growled as he stomped on the skull of Darkseeker with the collapsed lung, venting his frustration as best as he could. The short calm before the storm would probably only last the night before the real storm hit. The Killer knew that once the storm hit, the Darkseekers would stay away from the weather as they preferred the warmth to the cool rain or cold weather.

* * * * *

The warm, humid air of the late summer night provided the survivors with little comfort as the residents of the Hinata Sou sought release from the stifling air tainted as it was by the high level of pheromones and sexual energy.

Undisturbed by everything going on around them in the other rooms of the Hinata Sou, the current occupants in one room tried to go on with their normal lives - tried being the operative word.

"Hmmm…" the buxom woman groaned as she felt strong, skillful hands on her bare flesh. "That feels soo good."

Looking down at the blonde's bare back Ranma couldn't help but take a deep, calming breath. For someone not affiliated with any martial arts, Tina was in very good shape. Then again, everyone who survived had to be to some degree. And yet she was very soft in all the right places…. It was a testament to his strength and control that he wasn't pitching a tent, especially given the fact that he was essentially straddling her firm buttocks. With Cammy and Chun-Li watching on, it wasn't like he could really imagine that the busty blond was one of them as he really didn't want to give Tina any mixed signals.

"Feel better?" he asked, hoping that his duties were done for the night. True, he wouldn't mind doing something with his lovers, but seeing as they were currently trying to cheer up the buxom blond the pigtailed martial artist knew that he'd have to wait awhile for them to help Tina deal with her issues with the Hinata girls and Keitaro.

"Yeah," the blond replied sheepishly, unwilling to look up at him. Then again, it was probably best that she wasn't looking up at him seeing as she was clad only in a towel for the entire massage.

Taking his cue to leave, Ranma quickly exited his room (though he technically shared it with Cammy and Chun-Li, they officially had their own rooms beside his and simply chose to share his bed at night). Even though the older women had said that they wouldn't hold it against him if he wanted to be with one (or more) of the other girls Ranma knew that he had more than he could deal with in the two Street Fighters. He was just glad that he didn't have all the girls chasing after him, though he never really liked the fact that most of the NWC were after him/her for some reason or other, Ranma never encouraged them from chasing after him, though he really didn't discourage it as much either.

Quietly walking through the hallway Ranma involuntarily shuddered as he passed the door to Blanka's room. It really should have been closed more, even with most of the residents of the Hinata Sou supposedly cooped up in their own rooms. Shaking his head he tried to shake out the image of Blanka and Juni going at it like rabbits.

It didn't help that Dan and the strawberry blond Juli were also going at it in Dan's room.

Man, don't they know to close their doors? Lifting his eyes to the ceiling, Ranma wondered who the unfortunate girls were that lived just above the Hinata Sou's newest couples. At least they were relatively quiet about it, not like Keitaro and Naru. Then again, Dr. Tofu and his mistresses had been very audible their first night before finally learning to keep the racket down.

Again Ranma shuddered. He really didn't want to think of Dr. Tofu that way. Gingerly touching his ribs, Ranma decided to move away from the dark corridor. Dark as it was, he really didn't want to chance seeing more of, well, anything, than he really needed to.

* * * * *

With Thirteen set to 'Observe' and transmit, Albireo simply sat back and let watched the monitors as his experimental perfume was being tested with the largest group yet, well, in the largest group that he could given the reduced population of humanity.

"It seems that the dream fragrance doesn't overpower pheromones," the mage lamented to the idol gynoids as he leaned back in his seat.

Ignoring the alarms as yet another wave of Darkseekers were magically repelled, the bored mage focused on the image of his former companion's oldest sister as the lithe swordswoman lounged in the common room. Clearly she was trying to formulate some sort of plan against the new and empowered Ranma Saotome.

A gentle chuckle was interrupted by the sounds of a secondary alarm going off. Clearly alarmed, the mage eyed the monitor for an image of the intrusion.

The sight of three large gynoids being torn asunder by an imposing and powerful fighter greeted the mage. Seeing the powerful martial artist level several more gynoids with a powerful spinning kick the startled mage fought the urge to let his jaw drop. It was the Demon – Akuma.

But it couldn't be. Akuma was supposed to be dead, killed several years ago soon after the third Street Fighter Tournament soon after Ryu's loss to Zangief. True, his body had not been found and no one admitted to fighting or seeing Akuma other than Ryu and Ken Masters…

"Stage Omega Alert!" he shouted, prompting the remaining gynoids and the island's defenses into action. "Five, Seven, Ten, and Eleven initiate Plan Four."

With no remaining humans on the campus Albireo knew that he would not be endangering any one with the decision. Having survived off of the residual magical energy of the World Tree for over a decade the weakened mage knew that a sudden power-up from the tree could be fatal, but given the other alternative, well, it was well worth it.

A mighty roar filled the cavern, a clear sign that the powerful dragon had entered battle with the vicious Akuma. Reaching the closest of the magical tree's roots the mage reached out to the closest of the glowing roots even as he began to chant his spell. Overwhelming power coursed through him as he drained the enormous tree of some of its magical energy.

The ground shook all around him as another terrible roar filled the caverns.

Ignoring everything going on around him the mage focused on the nearly overwhelming power that threatened to consume him.

"You think that'll help you?" a rough, feral voice asked.

Pulling himself from the exposed root the mage opened his eyes as he looked upon the mighty Akuma. "No, it'll give the others a chance," he replied as he glanced at the closest monitor.

Stealing a glance at the same monitor Akuma spotted the four fleeing gynoids, as well as the green images of several former participants in the Street Fighter Tournaments and their accomplices/allies. Momentarily distracted by the sight of more prey the rogue Street Fighter barely noted the powered up mage as he cast a spell.

The blinding flash of light barely registered to the fighter as he had clearly expected the attack. Opening his eyes he smirked as he looked at the transformed mage. "You never were one for direct combat," he taunted as he looked upon the familiar form. "But you have to remember – Nagi barely beat me. You may wear his face and form, but you're nowhere near as powerful as he was back then."

Deftly dodging a series of light arrows the gi wearing fighter jumped over the volley and struck the ceiling, sending a shower of boulders onto the transformed mage. "And you're nowhere near as clever as he was!"

Even with Nagi's skills Albireo was no match for the savage fighter. True, he wasn't as clever as the unpredictable master of 1000 spells (actually the mage often carried an enchanted book that 'reminded' him of the steps and elements of the spells he tried to cast, often stumbling upon the right spell on accident or surprising his opponents by the random spell he'd managed to open his book to) and he clearly wasn't as lucky as Nagi had been, but many of his battles had depended on solid spell work and the time and space needed to pull off those spells. Unfortunately the tight confines of that particular part of the cavern left him with little room to move or maneuver against the lightning quick Akuma.

Bouncing off the wall he charged his fists with a powerful light spell only to have the spell disrupted as he was forced to block half way through. Barely shrugging off the glancing blow, he was forced onto the defensive, just as he'd expected. Clearly he couldn't compete with this Akuma. Hell, Nagi had barely managed to best the powerful fighter, and only after taking advantage of his opponent's over aggressiveness. This Akuma was much more controlled and precise, leaving no openings as he attacked constantly. Clearly this Akuma had learned his lesson after his loss to Nagi – don't let a mage, combat or not, complete their spells.

A powerful right cross slipped past the pseudo-Nagi's guard, ripping his robe even as it flew by. This went far beyond anything that he'd expected. Hell, even Rakan wasn't this fast or powerful, and he was Nagi's greatest rival. Could either of those fighter beat this version of Akuma? Somehow this martial artist had managed to become just as powerful as the two most powerful magi that Albireo knew. Perhaps he really was a demon.

A powerful right cross, left jab, right hook followed by a vicious elbow, and spinning back roundhouse kick backed the mage up, the force of the missed blows still stinging as the power and killing intent behind each blow pressed the mage.

The feel of cold stone against his back told him all he needed to know.

"No more running," Akuma grinned as he licked his lips. "You should know – your stupid wards robbed me of some fun, and even your pathetic fighting skills won't make up for the prey you robbed me of. I was hoping to find the vampire, but you'll have to do for now. That should hold me over until I find those Street Fighters – at least they don't have to resort to petty tricks."

Feeling the warmth of the magical tree against his hand, Albireo shook his head. "Sorry to disappoint you, but your murderous spree ends now!"

The cavern quickly grew bright though this time it was not because of a simple blinding spell. His trap finally completed, the weakened mage hoped that his sacrifice would be enough to end Akuma's reign of terror.

Suddenly the bright glow gave way to a growing darkness and a wave of cold ran through the mage's body.

"Do you think I'd fall for another stupid magic trick?" Akuma taunted as the Demon ripped out the stunned mage's heart. "You're not the only one who can pull off illusions. Blinded by your own attack you failed to see where I really was. It looks like you won't be able to sacrifice yourself or save your little friends."

Gasping, the shocked mage could do little more than slump against the cold, rocky surface.

"Self-destruct in T-minus one minute," Albireo's voice announced, a slight glow in the mage's eyes. "I knew you'd kill me, so I initiated the self-destruct sequence once I knew it was you storming the island. Even you won't be able to get out of here unscathed."

"Humph," Akuma exclaimed as he pulled his opponent's cold, lifeless body towards him. Grabbing the mage's neck, he ripped his victim's head off. "Your petty magic tricks don't scare me," he announced as he waved his hand, brushing aside all the debris and clearing a path for his departure.

* * * * *

For months Keitaro had dreamt of returning to the Hinata Sou, but even his wildest fantasies hadn't been anywhere near as good as the reality had been. Even after months of vigorous sex with the busty and beautiful blond, Keitaro couldn't help but think his first time (well, night really) with Naru had been unbelievable.

Walking down to his room as the heavy rain pounded against the exterior walls of the Hinata Sou, the dazed former ronin slowly came out of his euphoria as he contemplated his current situation. Yes, he loved Naru, but he also cared about Tina (and the rest of the Hinata Sou girls) and he was now intimate with both of them. But comparing the two women was like comparing strawberries to raspberries.

Spotting the busty blond in the dim early morning light that managed to penetrate the thick clouds Keitaro momentarily froze. He wasn't sure how long the two of them stood there as random flashes of lightning illuminated the dark passage and loud bursts of thunder and the heavy pounding rain drowned out any possible conversation.

"I'm okay," the blond finally stated as the howling winds receded for a moment, preventing the pounding rain from battering the side of the building and giving the couple a moment of relative silence. Shuffling her feet, she found herself standing before her shorter lover. "I understand that you love Naru, and possibly even the other Hinata girls, but I'm willing to share you if you want, or walk away if that's what you decide."

A low screech filled the hallway as the winds picked up again, straining the weathered wood siding of the inn turned dormitory.

He didn't know why, but the former ronin found himself wrapping his arms around his first lover's waist, drawing her to him. The feel of her firm, full breasts against his chest and neck sent warm sensation through him as he leaned forward and kissed the blond.

"I want to be with you too," he said as he broke away from the tender kiss. "I know that it won't be easy for you, but I'll do my best to be true to you and everyone."

* * * * *

Despite the raging storm outside Ranma slept peacefully. Though the pair of women had spent much of the night consoling the busty and bubbly Tina, Ranma was finally able to claim his room, though he still got stuck sleeping on the seam of the two futons that were pulled together to give the three fighters enough room to sleep comfortably. Officially the room was his; unofficially he shared the room with Cammy and Chun-Li. With Chun-Li snuggling up to him on his right side and the petite Cammy's head on his left arm and shoulder, Ranma slept contently despite his injured ribs.

But it wasn't the beautiful women laying beside him that he was dreaming of. Visions of a elegant, woman with long, gravity defying deep violet hair wearing a purple outfit and a long yellow scarf mixed with scenes of his fight with Darkseeker Ryu danced through his dreamscape.

"Prepare yourself," the woman said as Ranma watched himself get laid out by Darkseeker Ryu. "Another challenge awaits you. Will you be able to rise up and meet this challenge?"

* * * * *

Ryoga woke to the sounds of the pounding rain and howling winds. Sitting up he slowly took in his surroundings. "Hmm… must have been a dream…" he mused as he rolled out of his futon. The sparsely decorated room contained all of his worldly belongings, but being wanderer by nature (and getting lost often) the bandana wearing youth tended to carry everything he owned with him, thus making the large room appear fairly empty as he kept everything in his traveling pack.

Closing his eyes his mind's eye was filled with visions of the beautiful woman he'd dreamt of. It had to be a dream. What stunningly beautiful woman would want him unless he was the last man alive? With Ranma and Keitaro getting most of the girls (and even his cousin Dan and the beastly Blanka getting Juni and Juli) what did that leave him with? Only a beautiful girl out of his imagination and possibly his dreams, that's who.

Sighing, Ryoga decided that he needed to get ready for the dismal day ahead of him.

* * * * *

In his admittedly short life there were few times in his life when Ranma hadn't woken up and trained, sparred, for fought someone. Today was no exception. Despite the powerful storm outside, the limited space for practicing, and his and everyone's injuries, Ranma had managed to convince the other fighters to continue training. As martial artists each of them knew the importance of rigorous yet disciplined daily training to maintain and improve their skills.

But after three days of training heavily and being cooped up while the typhoon continued to rage the survivors were slowly starting to show the strain of too much training and not enough relaxing as there was only so much training that they could do as the cadre of fighters began to feel restless despite exerting themselves physically as they practiced and sparred.

Two days of working themselves until well after sunset had been enough. Tonight things would be different.

"I think we should watch _Hero_," Motoko suggested. "It's a great story and has great visuals."

"But we watched that two nights ago," Naru objected.

"Yeah, but they weren't here two nights ago," the younger Shinmeiryuu swordswoman countered.

"How about Kurasawa's _Dreams_?" Ranma suggested, drawing many odd looks from the others.

"Why don't we watch the _Hardboiled_?" Keitaro suggested.

After twenty minutes of animated debate the survivors decided on watching a marathon of _Ninja Scroll_ (the movie, then the series). As one of the few people who didn't want to watch the violent and bloody anime, Ranma and his cohorts and a few others sat towards the back of the entertainment room as they contemplated what else they could do so long as they didn't disrupt the anime marathon.

"We don't have cards," Mousse stated as he searched for something to do. "And the PS2 is out of the question so no fighting games."

"Yeah, who wants to play fighting games when we tend to do that stuff without a game system?" Ryoga asked rhetorically. "Who wants to watch fictional fighting anyways? Especially when we could probably kick their asses if they were real characters."

Ranma nodded as he examined his own stuff-space supplies. Pulling out large bottle of sake he set it down, only to find a bottle of whisky and then a bottle of vodka.

"What, no beer?" Ibuki teased as she brought up a large pot of freshly made popcorn.

"Nope," the pigtailed martial artist replied. Looking at the small group, Ranma shrugged.

"But we've got plenty of bottles," the alcohol friendly American smirked. "Ooh, whisky."

Mousse, Ranma, and Ryoga suppressed urge to shudder.

Thirteen simply watched. Programmed to simply observe and transmit, the gynoid never considered the fact that she had not received any new orders in the past three days. Following her last orders she simply watched Ranma and the others, though she did occasionally spar with them whenever someone needed a partner.

"Does she even drink?" Naru asked skeptically as she eyed the gynoid from her seat beside Keitaro.

"Yes, we do," Thirteen replied, "though I am unsure if I would become inebriated."

Ever the inquisitive mad scientist, Su perked up. "What type of power-cells do you run on? I haven't seen you charging up or plugging in, and you haven't consumed anything so…"

Ryoga blushed despite his best efforts not to. As the person with the largest ki reserves it had fallen on him to help "recharge" Thirteen. Though he had argued long and hard with Ranma (who had once been the person responsible for the gynoid during his long trip to China) Ryoga couldn't help but feel obligated given the fact that he really did have much larger reserves and because Ranma was currently injured.

It wasn't the fact that she had to be topless when he wound her up, or that she seemed to moan whenever he poured his ki into her, it was the fact that he secretly found himself aroused by her moans. Yet despite that arousal, it was the beautiful blond that he dreamed of each night. First it had been the roof, but last night had been an interesting dream in the kitchen.

Taking a generous swig of the whisky, Tina handed it to Thirteen who immediately mimicked the blonde's actions.

"I'm on watch," Mousse stated as he took the bottle then handed it to Ibuki.

"One drink won't hurt," the kunoichi teased before taking her turn at the bottle.

"Yeah, a little drinking is never bad," Mutsumi interjected as she took the bottle from the kunoichi. From the look on Ibuki's face it was clear that she'd bitten off more then she could chew. Ever the booze hound, Mutsumi took a generous swig, making even Tina pale at the large gulp that the brunette managed to take. "Ah…"

"You're supposed to be men amongst men," Kanako taunted, "prove it."

The gauntlet had been thrown.

* * * * *

A/N

I'll leave things there for now. It's been too long since I updated and if I wait to write more it'll be a while before I update.

Thirteen, and all the other gynoids in this fic, are more advanced versions of Chachamaru, but they still require manual charging though they don't need just magic. But given Ranma, Mousse, and Ryoga's curses, the three of them have some ambient magic, just not a lot like Negi, Kanako, or Su.

Please read and review.

Dreamingfox


	28. Chapter 28

Author's Notes –

Don't look for a disclaimer here - I've stopped posting them after the first ten chapters or so.

Not much else to say right now other than Go Packers!

* * * * *

Ever since the great pandemic had forced him to take refuge in the Kuno compound, Dr. Tofu had rarely found anything to focus his attention on. True, he had his hands full with taking care of those who had fallen victim to the virus, and he had been rattled by the discovery that Ranma and Ryoga had become intimate (not with each other) with others and thus disturbed their ki. It was because of that that he'd created the training regiment for Ryoga, something that the bandana wearing boy had maintained even after leaving the Hinata Sou. And while Ranma had been a harder nut to crack, it was clear that he'd settled down much more after meeting Chun-Li and Cammy. Something about them seemed to help him settle down and even mature.

But once again his focus was turned to Ryoga as something had happened that was disturbing his ki. But what could rattle Ryoga? It couldn't be any of the girls because none of their ki was disrupted, and it definitely wasn't one of the guys, so what was it? Yes, the lost boy had walked in on him when the doctor was with his lovers occasionally, but this type of ki disruption and imbalance wasn't due to masturbating too much. Whatever it was, he'd have to find the source of the disruption so that he could adequately address the issue.

* * * * *

After three days of nearly non-stop heavy rains everyone was glad to have some break from the weather, even if it was only a temporary stoppage of the rain. Rushing out of the Hinata Sou, Ranma, Mousse, and Ryoga quickly set off to gather some fresh food –fish, poultry, and various vegetables from the gardens, pool, and stream.

The brief respite from training in the cramped confines of the Hinata Sou allowed the three young fighters to stretch and use their muscles to their full capacity, something they couldn't do while practicing and sparring inside. With their curses locked so that they no longer transformed when splashed with cold water, the three were still wiry of the large puddles and around the water.

For other survivors the chance to get out of the Hinata Sou provided them with much needed privacy and quiet, allowing them to gather their thoughts and assess their current living situation.

"You think that the younger Hibiki is better?" the lithe, raven haired girl asked her companion. With many of the fighters practicing or indulging in the carnal pleasures of their lovers, the two fighters had the kitchen to themselves as they prepared a healthy brunch.

The taller, slender girl nodded. "The elder is…"

"A moron," the first girl finished. Knife in hand she cleanly sliced the vegetables.

"And he's with one someone," the second girl added. "Saotome is clearly with Cammy and Chun-Li, and I doubt that they're willing to share him. And while Mousse isn't with officially with Ibuki, it's clear that they're very much into each other. That just leaves Ryoga as the last unattached male."

The first girl nodded as she considered her lover's point of view. "That sounds…"

"Cold and analytical?"

"Yeah," the lithe girl replied. "But if you feel that it would be ill-advised for us to pursue him we could try and wait to see how things develop between everyone. It's too soon to say that either Blanka or the elder Hibiki will stay with Juni and Juli – there's just too much about them that we don't know.

The knife welding girl shook her head. "No, Hibiki clearly not the alpha male, but he's very competent regardless. I… I just want to see if there's any chemistry first."

Her companion nodded. Though they had been discussing which of the handful of males that they liked, it was hard for either of them to simply discard their past feelings for Keitaro Urashima regardless of his recently discovered relationship with the busty blond Tina. Still, both knew that the best way to get over him was to move on, but could they do it so easily given the fact that the only people who they knew were also the only people alive?

"We'll just try and spend some time with him," the lithe girl stated. "Maybe sit next to him during the movies. We're still watching Ninja Scroll tonight, right?"

The swordswoman shook her head, "No, I think we're watching 'Vision of Escaflowne'."

The sound of the howling winds reached them, telling them that the doors had been opened and that the three martial artists from Nerima were back.

"Damn, that's cold," Ryoga muttered as he opened the door to the kitchen. "I can't believe it hasn't stopped raining."

"At least you had an umbrella," the long haired Mousse said as he shook his head and long hair, sending several cold drops of rainwater to the floor.

"So did you," the pigtailed martial artist interjected.

"You didn't have to take my umbrella though," the Chinese martial artist grumbled.

"I didn't take it," the always confident Ranma replied. "The wind took it – really, who'd take out an umbrella when it's that windy out?"

Setting down the gathered food, the three young men departed just as quickly as they had arrived.

* * * * *

"I'm going to take a shower first," Ranma shouted as he left the other two behind. With his room closest to the newly installed shower and bathroom, as well as being the fastest of the three, the pigtailed boy knew that he'd make it there before the others.

Leading Ryoga back to their shared room Mousse decided to take advantage of the small indoor bathtubs that they had set up on some of the converted balconies. Though their room had one, Mousse knew that it was best for Ryoga to use the one on their balcony as the directionless wonder would probably end up in one of the girl's rooms instead.

Finding one of the few vacant rooms the nearsighted martial artist put the sign on the door to the balcony announcing that the bath was being used. Stripping off his soaking wet outfit he wrung out the excess water before shaking it and setting it on one of the racks to dry. Settling into the soothing water he closed his eyes even as he leaned back against the edge of the tub.

The sound of the door to the balcony sliding open didn't bother him as he figured that it was just the directionless blunder having somehow gotten lost between their balcony and bedroom. With his glasses off he simply shook his head as he considered his situation.

The sound of someone stepping into the tub startled him, prompting him to open his eyes. Even at this distance he couldn't identify who it was that was stepping into the tub.

"I think I've waited long enough," a distinctly familiar female voice said as the figure lowered herself into the water.

Her soft and delicate hands on his shoulders kept him seated in the hot water as the kunoichi slowly straddled his lap. Suddenly her face was right before his (though he really couldn't tell that it was her still) as she leaned in and kissed him. Her gentle lips and course tongue bathed his face lovingly.

Blind as he was Mousse began to caress Ibuki's back, slowly working his hands down to the small of her back and eventually to her firm ass even as she began to grind her shaved slit against his growing erection.

Deep, hungry kisses made his head reel as he felt her questing tongue slide past his own lips.

Gently teasing his cock she slowly rocked her hips, rubbing the engorged head against her moist slit. Clawing at his chest she let out a feral, pleasure filled purr as she felt his deceptively gentle hands massaging her firm ass and hips, begging for her to let him penetrate her.

On her knees, she straightened her back, breaking the string of kisses and pulling away from his eager shaft while placing her perky breasts in the perfect position for him to access them with his hungry lips. Mousse didn't disappoint her as he took one swollen nipple between his lips, drawing another purr of pleasure from the kunoichi.

As much as he missed Shampoo, the nearsighted martial artist knew that he had to move ahead, and allowing his lingering feelings for the village champion and his childhood friend to hold him back wasn't going to help him. Factoring in his pent-up sexual frustration, the bevy of beauties and the highly charged sexual energies around him and you had a very, very eager young man that needed to work off some of that frustration. It truly was a testament to his strength that he'd managed to hold out as long as he had, but with Ibuki offering herself to him as she was, Mousse couldn't restrain himself any longer.

Hands on her hips he forced her down onto his lap. Gently, yet urgently, he massaged her thighs as he slowly pulled them apart. Licking his parched lips, he leaned back as he guided her hips so that her womanhood was rubbing up against his engorged head.

Slowly, deliberately, she impaled herself on his mighty shaft, taking in his engorged head then rocking her hips to take in more of him. Each deliberate thrust drew a light pleasure-filled gasp from the inexperienced Chinese martial artist, matched only by the kunoichi's light moans. After what seemed like an eternity she finally had all of him inside of her. Leaning forward she wrapped her arms around him even as he returned the favor. Held close they both savored the intimacy of the moment.

Ignoring the ferocious storm and the heavy rains that pelted the thick glass the two newly minted lovers slowly began to thrust their hips awkwardly at first, then slowly in unison as they found each other's rhythm.

The gentle gasps and moans soon were replaced with deep, powerful breaths as they slowly increased the tempo of their lovemaking. Finally Ibuki let out a deep moan as her body trembled, sending a thrilling sensation through Mousse's rock hard cock as it lay buried inside of her. The power of her orgasm nearly sent him over the edge as he cradled her to him.

Gently he leaned forward as he lifted her off her knees and as he stood up. Still buried deep inside of her he lowered her back down into the water so that her back was now pressed against the opposite side of the tub.

Legs spread wide Ibuki slowly wrapped them around her lover's hips as he began to thrust his hips and driving his cock in and out of her tight slit. A few deep, deliberate thrusts were all he needed as he shot his load into her, grunting as his muscles locked up then relaxed as he was overcome with the powerful sensation of finally shooting his seed deep into the kunoichi.

Panting, the two lovers kissed between deep, heavy breaths.

* * * * *

Getting lost rarely ever irritated the directionless wonder that was known as Ryoga Hibiki. While it was true that he could get lost going from one room to the next, it had never bothered him as much as it did now that there were so many attractive women around that were willing to beat him up with a variety of weapons. The big difference between getting hit by the powerful and violent Akane and the girls of the Hinata Sou was that while the later lacked power, they tended to used sharp edged weapons. Even his thick skin couldn't deal with Motoko's very sharp demonic blade or Kanako's daggers.

But for him to get lost going to the bathroom, well, that was truly irritating. Trapped inside of the Hinata Sou he knew that he really couldn't use his usual method of simply breaking through the walls and doors until he found someone, especially since most of the residents of the Hinata Sou tended to spend their down time in intimate and compromising positions with their lover (or lovers in the case of Dr. Tofu). Ryoga really didn't need to walk in on something like that again (having already done so three times while Dr. Tofu had Tsuruko bent over the desk, once while the busty Mutsumi was giving the doctor a blow job, and once when the doctor was apparently doing some kind of crab walk with a completely naked Tsuruko). Honestly, he'd seen more of Tsuruko in a few weeks than he had of Ranma's cursed form in nearly a year.

Shaking his head, Ryoga closed the door to his room even as he wrapped the towel around his waist. In his old room the bathroom had been down the hall to the left (or was it the right?) right at the intersection between the two hallways. The second bathroom had been added at the end of the right hallway as well, but that was on the third floor. While they had added several bathtubs on the enclosed balconies, they had not added any bathrooms on the second floor, though there was one on the first floor.

Since it was still the day time, Ryoga felt confident in his decision to head down to the first floor to use the bathroom. Finding the closest door he opened it – only to find the laundry room. Shaking his head, he moved onto the next door – yes, it was the bathroom. Taking a moment to relieve himself he sighed contently before exiting the bathroom only to realize that he didn't know how to get back up to his room.

_Were the stairs to the right, or the left?_ Looking at his options, he decided to go with left (but actually went to the right).

Turning the corner he suddenly bumped into something or someone. Focused on what he'd bumped into, he failed to notice the loss of his towel.

"Sorry," he automatically said, apologizing to the two girls facing him.

"What are you doing down here!" the easily angered Motoko exclaimed.

For her part Kanako failed to say anything as she froze, her eyes going further south than they should have.

Slowly the swordswoman noted the male's nakedness, her eyes bulging in horror even as she instinctively gripped her katana.

Recognizing the look in the kendoka's eyes, Ryoga moved to cover his nakedness with his hand. He knew that it wouldn't be enough to hide everything, but it wasn't a move meant to protect his modesty. Feeling warm, soft hands on his slowly prying his hand away from his freely dangling manhood he gulped as he noted that Kanako had moved between himself and Motoko.

"W-what… what are you doing?!" the clearly astonished Motoko hissed as she clutched her sheathed sword.

"I want it," Kanako said, a slightly sultry tone in her voice that matched the desire in her eyes. Licking her lips she gently wrapped her hand around Ryoga's uncircumcised cock. Her long, nimble fingers and soft hand coaxed Ryoga's steadily stiffening cock to life.

Unsure of what to do, Ryoga simply tried to take a step back, only to step on his towel and trip, sprawling onto his hard and naked buttocks while also freeing his sensitive member from the lithe girl's grasp. His eyes nearly popped out of his eye sockets as he watched Kanako lifted her knee length skirt to reveal her black panties to him. With his eyes completely affixed on her, he gulped as he watched her snake her hand under her panties as she slowly teased herself and him.

Held in complete rapture of the display before him he simply sat there as the lithe girl went down to her knees and slowly leaned forward so that she could once again grab hold of his steadily growing erection.

Lovingly she pulled back the foreskin of his cock before slowly letting out a long breath. Her warm breath sent tingles through his erection and then through his spine and body. The feel of her hot, course tongue on the sensitive head of his cock brought a squeal of delight from him, surprising both Kanako and Motoko at the unexpected display of excitement and arousal.

A wicked grin appeared on Kanako's face as she looked Ryoga in the eyes. Deliberately she kissed his sensitive head then swiftly took it into her warm mouth.

Surprised by her boldness, Ryoga's elbows slipped out from underneath him, his head hitting the hard wooden floor. Blinking, he expected to be looking up at the ceiling but was instead surprised to see Motoko standing over him. Though she had moved to pin his arms he knew that he could easily break free of her hold if he so chose to, but something inside of him told him to simply lay still and let the two girls have their way with him.

Tentatively balanced on her knees and outstretched hands, Motoko gulped as she pulled her face within a centimeter of Ryoga's. The feel of his hot breath on her lips teased her even as she pressed her delicate lips against his trembling lips. Her probing kisses slowly became more aggressive as she licked his lips and teased him with her tongue.

The feel of Kanako's nimble fingers and soft hands stroking the length of his cock and massaging his balls all the while her hot lips and tongue continued to work her magic on the sensitive head of his cock nearly made the very excited Ryoga cum – nearly.

"Hmmm," the lithe girl hummed before pulling herself away from her newest possession. "You have to try this."

Breaking away from her probing kisses, Motoko slowly pulled away as she traded places with Kanako. Despite her best efforts not to, the kendoka found herself licking her lips as she looked, closely looked, at the swollen member. She'd seen him naked before, though she really didn't want to admit to it, and he hadn't been as impressive as Ranma, but he had been impressive. But seeing him completely erect as he was now, well, everything she'd seen before paled to what she was looking at now. "Kami, you're huge," she whispered as she wrapped her hand around his cock. Spotting the glistening moisture at the tip of his sensitive head she instinctively licked it, savoring the odd taste of his spunk even as she sent another thrill through his body.

Smiling as she listened to her lover enjoying Ryoga's cock, Kanako took hold of Ryoga's hands. Kneeling directly over the captive fighter she grinned down at him as she placed his hands on her hips and directed him to pull her panties off. Obediently he obliged, pulling her black panties off as she lifted the hem of her skirt. Standing up she let him pull the silky black article off even as she stepped so that he had a direct view of her exposed slit. Slowly she lowered herself onto his face, gently straddling him so that his mouth was right on her wet lips. Feeling his experienced tongue probing into her wet slit she slowly ground her sex against his face, deliberately placing her clit within reach of his questing tongue.

It didn't take him long to find her sensitive nub – his powerful tongue deliberately rubbing against her clit. Soon she was breathing heavily and squealing as he brought her closer to orgasm with each tender stroke of his tongue.

"Motoko," she gasped, "switch with me… I want him to inside of me…"

Reluctantly the swordswoman obliged, pulling her lips off of Ryoga's stiff member. Licking her lips she pushed herself onto her knees, watching as Kanako disengaged from riding Ryoga's face. Seeing the girl's juices running down her thigh it was clear to Motoko that Kanako was very turned on.

Still balanced on her knees Motoko watched as Kanako took a deep breath and slowly lowered herself so that she was straddling Ryoga. Grabbing hold of his cock Kanako guided it to her moist womanhood before lowering herself onto his hard shaft.

"Oooh," Kanako moaned, taking more and more of him as she ground her hips down onto his shaft. Panting as she took all of him into her she let out a long moan. "It's sooo nice…" she moaned.

Kneeling behind her lover, Motoko nearly ripped over several buttons off of Kanako's blouse as she freed her lover's breasts. Cupping the perky breasts she began to tweak Kanako's erect nipples, drawing more moans from the lithe girl.

Not wanting to be left out of things, Ryoga reached up to grab hold of the perky, bouncing breasts. "Ooh, ah," he exclaimed. She was tight, very tight, and very, very hot.

"Aah," Kanako squealed as she orgasmed, her body twitching and trembling as wave after wave of pleasure ran through every fiber of her being.

Motoko was wet, very wet. She couldn't believe how incredibly turned on she was, or how hot Kanako was as she squealed in delight. Kanako never squealed with her, though she had screamed often enough. Still, hearing her squeal was very different, and very arousing. It made the kendoka want a piece of Ryoga's magic cock as well.

Watching as Kanako slowly wilted from exhaustion, Motoko decided that now was the time. Even as Kanako slowly and reluctantly pulled herself off of Ryoga the swordswoman quickly stripped, removing all of her clothes. Getting down to her hands and knees she looked back at him and licked her lips, offering herself to him.

Pulling himself up Ryoga quickly got behind the naked kendoka. Her soft, smooth skin was hot to the touch, and her glistening slit told him that she was ready and waiting for him. Though he was close to cumming Ryoga knew that he needed to take his time with Motoko. Grabbing hold of her hips he waited for her to guide his engorged head to her waiting slit.

The kendoka could feel her knees going week as the sensitive head penetrated her. Ryoga stretched her unlike anything that Kanako had done, and as he drove more and more of his hard cock into her he began to touch her in places that she didn't know existed. The deep, powerful thrusts from behind forced her onto her elbows even as she arched her back.

With a satisfied grunt Ryoga came, exploding inside of Motoko's tight slit.

A sudden scream filled the hallway as the world exploded.

* * * * *

Thirteen was perturbed. While she lacked her prototype sister's advanced A.I. she knew that something strange was going on. Not only had her adopted master failed to contact her, but now she'd failed to receive any transmissions from the others. At first she'd attributed it to the powerful typhoon interfering with the signal, but with the weather letting up ever so slightly she began to wonder.

Spotting Ranma and the others as they returned from their foraging the gynoid decided that she'd have a word with Ranma.

As she wandered the hallways while Ranma showered the gynoid began to pick up on the sounds of carnal pleasure that filled the Hinata Sou. _Mousse and Ibuki_, she assessed even as she compared their individual audio recordings. _Dan and Juni sparring, Blanka and Juli cheering them on… Ryoga, Motoko, and Kanako on the first floor…_

"Oh, hey Thirteen," a slightly flustered Keitaro Urashima greeted as he slipped out of his room.

"Hello Urashima-san," the gynoid said with a bow.

Blushing, the ronin turned dorm manager scratched his head. "You don't have to call me that. What are you doing down here anyways? I thought you were working with Su on a new Mecha Tama?"

"Su had a late night, so she's still asleep, I'll probably have to wake her up for brunch," the gynoid explained.

"Oh," the fairly clueless survivor exclaimed. "Um, so what do you do on your down time?"

"I do not have any down time," Thirteen replied. "When I am not following Ranma's orders I have been following Albireo's orders."

"So what were Albireo's orders?" the absently inquisitive asked.

"Just to observe," the gynoid stated, "he feels that it would be beneficial for us to observe human interaction."

"So why did he send just you?"

"Because I'm the only one fitted for long range missions," Thirteen explained. "I am capable of long range communication and access to my creator's satellite system, as well as GPS tracking so that the master knows where I am at all times."

"Hey," Ranma called out in his usual, informal greeting. "What's up?"

"Hey Ranma," Keitaro replied.

"Hello Ranma," the gynoid said with a bow.

"I was just asking her about what she does to relax," Urashima stated.

"Good luck with that," Ranma replied.

Suddenly Thirteen perked up, standing taller than she normally did as her eyes began to glow with a slightly reddish light.

"What's up?" Ranma asked in a slightly more serious tone.

"I'm picking up a distress signal," the gynoid replied. "It's one of my sisters."

"How far?" the pigtailed martial artist asked.

"Three kilometers and quickly approaching form the south, south east."

"Keitaro, tell the others," the pigtailed boy said as he took control of the situation.

"Ranma," the gynoid said, drawing his attention, "it's Seven, and she's being chased."

"Go," Ranma urged Keitaro even as he ran for the stairs.

The sound of footsteps behind him told him that the gynoid was following close behind and that Keitaro had rushed to find the others.

The cold, pounding rain greeted Ranma as he ran out of the Hinata Sou's front doors. South, south east meant that Seven was coming from a different direction than a straight route from Mahora which was more south, south west if you were to take the most direct path. The rain meant that it wasn't a Darkseeker, so what was it?

Lost in thought the pigtailed martial artist quickly ran, easily outpacing Thirteen as he rushed to save the gynoid's sister. Having seen the battle capabilities of the gynoids Ranma knew that they weren't to be taken lightly. Though they weren't on his level, they were clearly tougher than your typical Darkseeker.

"Ranma!" Thirteen shouted. "She's stopped! She's fighting something!"

Urged on by the gynoid's panicked cries the martial artist ran harder and faster. Having spent as much time as he had, Ranma instinctively knew that Thirteen was distressed and panicked. Despite her nearly monotone voice and perfect articulation and inflection as she spoke there was a hidden urgency that anyone else would have missed or overlooked.

An odd ki filled the air, nearly overwhelming the young martial artist. No, it wasn't odd ki, merely strong killer intent. The realization nearly made him tremble, nearly.

Three kilometers – that would have put Seven just on the island.

"She's gone," Thirteen cried out, nearly stopping as she pushed herself to keep up with Ranma.

She was gone, but he could feel her killer.

* * * * *

Akuma smiled. Though injured he was glad that he'd chased down those damned gynoids. Sure, they had been weak, but they had been a challenge, and they had led him to other survivors. He could feel the rapidly approaching fighter's strong ki. Was he perhaps the one he'd felt not too long ago? The one that he'd felt with those two Street Fighters?

Grinning, the man known as the Demon of the fighting world flared his ki.

* * * * *

"Cammy, Chun-Li," Keitaro cried out as he spotted the two Street Fighters in their room (as opposed to finding them in Ranma's room). "Thirteen picked up a distress signal. She and Ranma went to investigate. They said it was three kilometers to the south, south east."

The blond blinked, plotting it mentally. "They're just on the edge of the island."

"Go get the others, we'll head out to back up Ranma if needed," Chun-Li said as she stood up.

By the time the two women reached the front doors they could feel Ranma's familiar ki as he rapidly approached them. This was not good.

* * * * *

_Soul of Ice_, Ranma thought, reminding himself to keep his cool as he watched the red haired man in the dark gi hold up Seven's head as though it were a trophy.

Standing his ground Ranma fought the urge to just run. Soun Tendo's demon's head technique and Happosai's manifestation of his aura weren't as bad as the terrible ki and killer intent he faced with the mysterious fighter. Of all his old opponents only Saffron had ever had killer intent, but even he paled when compared to this warrior.

He nearly bolted when the warrior charged him. Only his steely resolve and the correct assumption that this merciless killer would go after those he'd sworn to protect kept him from running.

Digging his foot into the muddy ground, he kicked out, sending a large clump of muddy earth at his opponent. Instead of hitting the warrior as he had hoped the red haired demon casually tossed the gynoid's detached head at him, intercepting the muddy projectile.

With his feet planted firmly Ranma parried Akuma's overhand right and answered with a swift series of kicks to the ribs. Instead of sending the warrior flying Ranma simply barely stopped killer's charge. Instinctively he kicked off of the man's ribs and twisted, narrowly avoiding a vicious backhand.

Rolling in the mud Ranma expertly spun around, lashing out with a vicious high kick even as he pushed off of the ground with his arms.

An equally vicious axe kick slammed into the ground as Akuma tried to capitalize on his momentarily downed opponent. The unexpected attack from the mud covered boy forced him to stop short, though the resulting splash of mud splattered over the young fighter's eyes, momentarily blinding him and allowing Akuma to kick the airborne fighter hard in the chest. Somehow the boy managed to block the blow with his arms - he even managed to push off of Akuma's leg, using the force of the kick to propel himself out of range of the now off balance attacker. _He's one of those fighters_, Akuma smirked.

For his part Ranma didn't bother with the mud in his eyes. Trusting his instincts he closed his eyes, hoping that the rain would wash away dirt and grime even as it stung at his eyes. Against this caliber of fighter he couldn't waste time wiping it out of his eyes.

It was the right choice. Having learned the basics of the style from Dan and from his fight with the powerful Darkseeker, Ranma allowed his highly trained boy to react as he dodged a swift middle kick, stiff high kick, and a series of punches.

Focused on his opponent, Ranma listened over the raging storm, catching the faint rustle of wet cloth that announced a powerful kick, or the splatter of mud as his opponent planted his foot to throw a punch. Occasionally a blow would graze him, leaving his forearm bruised or his chest stinging and muddy.

After what seemed like an eternity Ranma found his vision returning as the pelting rain finally washed away the last remnants of dirt and debris from his eyes. Blinking at the blurry, dark image of a man, Ranma ducked under another overhand right and deftly connected with a double palm strike that threw the killer off balance. Crossing his arms he quickly grabbed hold of his opponent's gi. Straightening his arms he kicked off the ground even as he avoided the worst of a hammer-fisted left hand and used the force of that hit to provide him with more torque as he planted his feet once again and sent his opponent spinning.

Unable to see anything but his opponent spinning in the air, Ranma grinned even as he blinked away the lingering effect of the mud to his eyes. His grin quickly faded as the ball of blackish flame hit him in the chest, stunning him and knocking the off balanced martial artist into the air.

Landing hard in the mud after being sent spinning and somehow managing to launch a weak (for him) Hokodan, Akuma quickly sprang to his feet as he shook of the effects of being spun around. Taking his school's basic stance he gathered power into his hands and formed another black ball of energy. Akuma unleashed the ball of fury and power just as the mud covered boy was about to reach the apex of his impromptu flight, connecting just as the pigtailed boy reached the apex and sent him flying.

A flash of lighting momentarily blinded him, casting the scene in bright light.

Akuma blinked as he watched his opponent literally fly away. The boy was alive – but he was quickly flying away. _Damn, he's one of those types!_ Akuma cursed himself. How had he forgotten that the boy was an apparent expert at redirecting the force of an attack?

Catching sight of the building on top of the hill in the distance, Akuma knew where to find the young man once he landed. Gathering more power into his hands, Akuma charge up the largest and most powerful Hokodan he could then unleashed it on the building in the distance.

* * * * *

A/N

Round one goes to Akuma. But can Ranma really win round two? Stay tuned.

Dreamingfox


	29. Chapter 29

Author's Notes –

Those of you who have read this fic from the beginning know that I don't do disclaimers anymore. What, this is like chapter 29, so why do I need another disclaimer?

Yes, things are wrapping down in this fic. Hopefully round one of Ranma vs Akuma was a bit more meaty for those fight fans out there who wanted more… Odd, no one seems to care about the lemon, but hey, all the better as this fic isn't about lemon. Yes, this is a fic where I'm taking a running tally of the characters, but who will survive to see the end?

* * * * *

"What the hell happened?" Keitaro shouted as he felt the building tremble. The sudden alarms that went off told him that something bad had happened, but what he didn't know. Had one of the walls been weakened by he storm and finally gave out? Ryoga finally lost control and blown up out of sexual frustration? Was it one of Su's insane inventions?

The lists of things that it could have been was incredibly long considering all the crazy shit that most of the surviving humans gathered at the Hinata Sou were very high level fighters.

With his task of finding the other fighters abandoned for the more pressing need to find out what the hell had happened to the Hinata Sou, Keitaro rushed down to the kitchen.

_Maybe it had just been a gas leak or some cooking accident_, he tried to convince himself.

The sight of a naked and stunned Ryoga (and an equally naked Motoko) seemed to suggest that Ryoga had finally exploded after finally getting some action. Only the fact that most of the debris appeared to have been blown into the Hinata Sou rather then out from around Ryoga suggested otherwise.

* * * * *

The Mousse sighed happily as he slowly and reluctantly withdrew his limp cock out of Ibuki's hot slit. Licking his lips he contemplated how long he would need to rest before they could start things up again, though perhaps they'd head over to her room for it.

For her part Ibuki smiled back warmly and lovingly.

Suddenly the large window was lit up as something dark yet surprisingly flew towards the Hinata Sou. A heartbeat later and the entire building shook as something powerful impacted against the southern side of the building – the same side that Mousse and Ibuki's balcony was facing. The large reinforced glass shattered inward, sending slivers of glass over the two naked individuals. Fortunately the two teens were made of sterner stuff than most teens their age as they emerged from the sudden shower with only light cuts.

The two experienced fighters could feel the faint, distant battle auras, telling them all they needed to know of what had happened. A quick glance was all they needed before they quickly gathered their clothes and got dressed.

* * * * *

Few things woke Su up when she was really tired. Having secretly snuck into Ryoga's room last night while transformed, the resident mad scientist was drained from her late night romp. And that was before she even considered the energy she needed for the transformation.

But the sudden attack on the Hinata Sou had definitely woken the young girl up. After all, she had designed those alarms to wake anyone up, and anyone included her. With the alarms going off as they were she knew that something bad had happened. Running a scan of the Hinata Sou's defenses she quickly assessed the situation even as she sent her few Mecha Tama to handle the repairs even as she climbed into Mecha Tamachan (version 16). With the large breach in the southern wall Su knew that the contaminated air would soon reach her as the filters and air-tight seals had been compromised.

Hopping into her seat of her most powerful creation, Su spotted the feed from Thirteen. Her eyes were glued to the monitor as she watched the mysterious fighter manhandle first Ranma then Cammy and Chun-Li as the two women moved to intervene on behalf of the clearly injured Ranma.

She didn't know why, but she found herself sending her newest mecha towards the launch bay. Locking onto Thirteen's position she went off to save her friends.

* * * * *

Having been propelled into the air before, Ranma had to admit that he wasn't very impressed with the distance that he'd gotten after enduring Akuma's Hodokan. True, Akane had sent him further and higher, but Akuma definitely hurt more, even though he did manage to land in the soft, forgiving mud.

Ranma didn't know how or why, but he slowly got to his feet, some twenty meters away from a clearly worked up and incensed Akuma.

Twenty meters wasn't enough as the Demon of the fighting world charged at him.

Pushing himself off the tree Ranma tried to shake the cobwebs out of his rattled head, hoping that his instincts and body would at least remember to evade.

Only the timely intervention of his two lovely lovers saved the beaten Heir to Anything Goes Martial Arts as Cammy and Chun-Li worked together against the seemingly unstoppable Akuma.

Chun-Li's powerful legs lashed out with lightning quick kicks that stopped the Demon's progress while Cammy's swift and nimble figure flew over the mud as she trapped his legs and brought him down to the ground. A powerful stomp lost much of the force behind it as the soft mud cushioned the blow that Chun-Li managed to land on the fallen Akuma.

Akuma kicked off the annoying pest that was the blond MI6 agent, turning it into a roll as he gained his feet once again. Blocking several vicious kicks from the Chinese Interpol agent he managed to endure the barrage before catching her ankle in his hand. With a hard twist of his hips he swept her off her feet before slamming her face first into the trunk of a nearby tree. Spotting the annoying little blond he swung again, swatting away Cammy with Chun-Li's now limp body and tangling them up as they crumpled onto the ground.

The two women, one unconscious and the other stunned, lay before him, waiting for him to end their suffering. Grinning, he lifted his right leg as he prepared to end their misery.

This time it was Ranma who came to their rescue, rushing in and letting his inertial and momentum take him and Akuma down as he tacked the larger man. If not for the poor footing from the thick mud Ranma was sure that he wouldn't have been able to budge Akuma, as it was though the pair went tumbling down the hill.

"Get out of here!" the pigtailed boy screamed at the gynoid and stunned blond. A powerful punch to the face quickly silenced him. The taste of his own blood filled his mouth even as he felt the larger man use his full weight to push him into the mud. Somehow the larger man had ended up on top of him and had started to reign down powerful punches on him. He was pinned down, but not defenseless.

Latching onto Akuma's wrist he guided it to his mouth, taking a powerful bite and sinking his teeth into the meaty wrist.

In all his life Ranma knew that he'd never had to fight dirty like this, but he'd never really fought for his life before, not like this.

His ears full of mud, Ranma didn't even register Akuma's roar of pain as twenty odd teeth sunk into his skin, then into his muscle. The taste of blood that wasn't his own filled Ranma's mouth as Akuma instinctively ripped his arm and wrist away from the savage attack. Spotting an opening, Ranma grabbed his opponent's gi and pulled himself out of the mud. The sickening sound of a nose breaking rang throughout Ranma's head as he crushed Akuma's nose with his forehead. Another brutal headbutt managed to dislodge Akuma, freeing Ranma to put more power into a third vicious headbutt. A fourth was stopped by a powerful hand grabbing hold of his mud caked hair and suddenly stars filled Ranma's vision as Akuma responded with his own headbutt.

Instinctively Ranma grabbed a handful of mud with his free hand before rubbing it into his opponent's face. It didn't save him from a second headbutt, but it did buy him time and leverage needed so that they both punished each other with the vicious double headbutt.

Rattled, the two fighters rolled apart as they tried to get their bearings.

Ranma managed to get to his feet first. Spotting his unbalanced opponent he rushed in on unsteady legs. In a normal fight he would have called out the attack, but this wasn't normal. He knew he needed to save his breath and energy, and shouting out the name of his attack would have robbed him of both. In the span of seconds the pigtailed martial artist unleashed over a hundred punishing punches to Akuma's face and chest.

And yet his opponent endured. Standing up he began to trade blows with Ranma, landing one punch to Ranma's ten. Despite the discrepancy in the number of hits they landed, Ranma knew that he was getting the worse end of the exchange. He wasn't a tank like Ryoga who could endure that many punches, and he didn't have Ryoga's power either. And this guy was definitely stronger and tougher than Ryoga.

Spotting an opening Ranma took it. Pulling back just enough he grabbed hold of his opponent's arm and trapped it between his body and arm. Several swift elbows to his opponent's head stunned the bigger man, giving him time to find the right leverage as he tried to bend the arm in ways that it wasn't meant to bend.

Enraged, Akuma began to rain down wicked short punches to his opponent's back, targeting the kidneys, as he fought to free his right arm. Seeing that that tactic wasn't working, the demon decided to try a different tactic. Using his size and strength advantage he grabbed hold of the smaller fighter and lifted him off his feet.

Having fought Cammy, Ranma knew roughly what his opponent was trying to do. Even thought he mud was soft he knew that he didn't want to have his head slammed into the ground via suplex. Shifting his hips he locked his legs around his opponent's waist, even as he gave up on the arm-lock. Focusing his short, yet quick and powerful punches on the side of his opponent's head, he hammered away, landing another hundred punches before being flung into the air. Twisting expertly he kicked off a tree, launching himself back at his opponent's exposed back.

Only a lighting quick spinning kick to the head stopped him from unleashing another series of punches. A second, then a third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and finally tenth kick all connected with his head and chest, each hit adding more and more stars, then birds to his vision.

_I've seen this before_, Ranma thought as he seemed to float in the air. His mind finally managed to catch up with his body as the young martial artist realized where he'd seen those moves before.

Crashing through a mighty tree trunk, Ranma slowly faded into unconsciousness even as his body crashed into and uprooted a second tree.

* * * * *

Despite his initial embarrassment at being found stunned and naked in the remains of the kitchen hallway Ryoga had quickly regained his wits. With some help (a lot of help actually) from Keitaro he managed to acquire another pair of pants (no boxers though as those hadn't been washed yet) before he and his new lovers rushed out of the Hinata Sou. Having seen Ranma get knocked silly by the Darkseeker's attack the experienced fighter knew what had crushed the building. If Ranma was fighting someone of that caliber then he'd need help.

Clearing the giant stairs Ryoga trembled as he felt the overwhelming killer intent. Beside him Motoko and Kanako both froze. Clearly they'd never faced anything with such murderous intent before. Well, neither had he, but he couldn't just stand by and let Ranma get killed – that was his job after all.

But he couldn't run off on his own. Dan and Blanka were trying to gather the rest of the survivors and assess the damage. Mousse and Ibuki were still unaccounted for, as was Su. Hopefully Ranma, Cammy, Chun-Li, and himself were enough to hold off who ever it was that had hit the Hinata Sou with that ki attack – hopefully.

Grabbing hold of Motoko's hand he looked at her and nodded. As the only one who had lived at the Hinata Sou before the pandemic struck, the swordswoman knew the island the best. It was up to her to lead them to the terrible battle that Ranma was currently involved in.

* * * * *

Tsuruko didn't know what to make of the sudden emergency that the gathered survivors were facing. All she knew was that something had hit the southern side of the Hinata Sou, destroying the kitchen and several rooms around and above it.

Fortunately she'd been in clinic on the third floor which faced west when it happened. As it was she, Dr. Tofu, and Mutsumi had avoided being injured, but the same could not be said of the residents who lived in the southern wing. Juni and Juli were prime examples as they had been in the same room when the attack hit, causing the room above them to collapse onto their room and subsequently them. Dan and Blanka had been more fortunate as their rooms faced north and had been on the other side of the hallway when everything happened. If not for their timely intervention the nearly identical Juli and Juni might have been worse off.

Ranma, Ryoga, Mousse, Ibuki, Motoko, Su, and Kanako as was the gynoid Thirteen were unaccounted for. Only Naru and Tina had been in the third floor common room at the time, and were now scouring the compound for the others.

Things did not look good.

* * * * *

Things really didn't look good. Looking at the unconscious and bleeding Chun-Li and the bloody and battered Cammy, Ryoga couldn't help but wonder if perhaps Ranma was in over his head. It was times like these that he really needed Ranma around. As in insufferable as Ranma was, it was the pigtailed martial artist's sharp and analytical mind and his unshakable confidence that often made the tough decisions.

Should he send the girls back with the injured Cammy and Chun-Li? Yes, Ranma would need help, but clearly Motoko and Kanako weren't close to being as powerful as the two Street Fighters – would they help more than hamper them? What about Keitaro? He wasn't a fighter, but he knew the situation…

"Motoko, Kanako – help Thirteen take Cammy and Chun-Li back to the Hinata Sou. Make sure that Dr. Tofu sees to them," the usually bashful and indecisive martial artist ordered. "Keitaro is going to show me to where Ranma's fighting and then he'll come back to get more help. Make sure you let the others know that there's a powerful enemy around. Once Keitaro gets back send two more fighters just in case."

Keitaro nodded his agreement of Ryoga's assessment. Reluctantly the two girls nodded as well, helping the injured women and the gynoid back to the Hinata Sou.

* * * * *

_This is not good!_ As much as he secretly enjoyed watching Ranma get thrown around alike a rag doll, Mousse knew that Ranma had always been a martial artist first, a fighter second. Their nearly daily fights in the past had always come down to techniques and skill. Only Kuno was stupid enough to go for a KO or definitive victory every time, resulting in the tall kendoka being knocked out almost every time (or booted into low earth orbit).

Seeing Ranma fight, actually fight, so viciously told Mousse all he needed to know – this wasn't just a fight between prideful fighters, this was a fight that someone wasn't going to be walking away from. Even Saffron had not pressed Ranma that much, and Ranma had killed him (though he was reborn). But this wasn't that Ranma – this Ranma almost looked like a brawler rather than fighting like a martial artist.

Seeing Ranma get sent through a tree and then uprooting another told him all he needed about the man that Ranma fought. This wasn't someone he could just unleash a barrage of bladed weapons at – this was someone you used bladed weapons on to make sure that they didn't get back up.

With Ibuki at his side Mousse inserted himself into the battle. He didn't waste time trying to test the muddy man's defenses, speed or reaction time as he'd seen enough when the man fought Ranma to get a good estimate of his ability.

A swift kick cut the man as the hidden blade glanced off his hard skin.

_Shit!_

A powerful uppercut caught him in the stomach, knocking Mousse's glasses of even as it sent him flying into the remains of a building.

Okay, small blades aren't going to cut it, Mousse mused as he watched what he assumed was Ibuki kicking the dark figure.

The clear understanding that she couldn't stand and trade with Akuma fueled Ibuki as she darted in and out of her mysterious opponent's range as she tested his defenses. Lacking real experience against a serious Ranma (versus the very serious Ranma she'd just witnessed fighting) the young kunoichi didn't know of the pigtailed boy's incredible hand speed and punching power. What she'd thought was only one or two punches were actually a hundred, changing her perception of the battle drastically.

A fierce spinning roundhouse to the stomach put an end to that. Just to be sure a truly vicious elbow to the head reinforced the point as Ibuki resolved to not waste any more time simply testing her opponent. If not for Mousse's timely intervention via a well thrown brace of senbon needles Ibuki was sure that she would have been forced to sit out the rest of the fight.

With the distraction from the needles Mousse was able to get Ibuki away from the ferocious warrior. Setting her down roughly he twisted and kicked off the ground, flipping over the warrior's head as he lashed out with a powerful kick. Pulling out a katar the weapons master engaged the dark warrior. A quick thrust forced the man to the side. A downward slash from his left forced the man to turn around but the sudden overhand left rocked Mousse.

_Damn, he hits harder than Ryoga!_ He could feel his legs turning to jelly as an elbow smashed into his temple. He felt a wave of panic as the warrior's hand on his wrist. He could hear his wrist snap even as he screamed in pain, and the feel of his bladed weapon penetrating his stomach didn't help matters either.

"MOUSSE!!!" Ibuki fought to get to her feet, only to be sent sprawling as the warrior kicked her in the face.

* * * * *

Seeing the carnage of the fight before him Ryoga rushed ahead, leaving Keitaro behind. He watched in horror as the weapons master somehow managed to clutch his stomach, keeping the weapon pressed to his would and minimizing the bleeding, though it couldn't be a very pleasant feeling. Then again, knowing that you'd just had your wrist broken and then stabbed with your own weapon probably hurt the weapons master's ego and pride.

Fortunately for Mousse Ryoga was able to make the save as he tackled the stunned warrior to the ground.

"Get out of here," the bandana wearing boy shouted as he pinned the other fighter in the mud.

This was his element. Yes, he was a very powerful martial artist, but in truth Ryoga tended to focus on the more powerful, physical arts rather than the higher arts like Ranma. Even with his training he was a brawler at heart as he enjoyed being able to trade blows rather than just have some stupidly elusive punk trying to prove that he was a better fighter than you by wearing you down.

Right, left, right, left, right, left – he rained down six unanswered punches on the man's face.

While part of him had wanted Mousse and Ibuki to leave for their own safety, another part of him had wanted them gone because he didn't want them to witness what he knew he had to do – kill this mysterious fighter. Despite having cried out numerous times that he wanted Ranma dead, Ryoga rarely ever wanted to actually kill Ranma… well, there was that one time… and that other time…

Blood and mud clung to his powerful fists as he pounded the man relentlessly. Taking no satisfaction in his grim execution Ryoga hesitated for a moment as he stopped to see if the man was still alive.

A swift kick to the back of his head answered that question for him as the downed warrior freed himself from underneath Ryoga. Suddenly their positions were reversed as Ryoga found his face pressed into the mud and his opponent drove his knee into Ryoga's back. Several powerful elbows to the back of his head drove his head further and further into the mud before the bandana wearing martial artist somehow managed to twist his body, dislodging the warrior's knee from his back and putting his arms in position so that he could fire off another powerful though wild punch.

A parting kick to the stomach from the mysterious killer separated the two as Ryoga went skidding through the mud and his opponent landed on his feet. Wiping mud out of his eyes Ryoga left himself open for a powerful spinning middle kick, then a punishing left cross, right knee to the stomach, left elbow, and right overhand rocked Ryoga, each blow forcing him back a step until he found his he couldn't stand any more. Each blow was like a hundred concentrated shots from Ranma, knocking either the air out of his lungs or the senses from his battered brain.

Held up by his hair, Ryoga began to wonder if he should have come in with a better game plan. Two thundering punches to the face later and Ryoga found himself face first in the mud once again.

* * * * *

The world was white, which was odd because Ranma distinctly remembered fighting in the mud. There was no way in hell that he could be clean now. Wait, where the hell was he?

Ranma blinked. Things just didn't add up. Slowly the world gained some color as several images floated before him.

"Wow, that's a pretty good fight," a familiar voice stated.

Looking over his shoulder Ranma saw his female form as she sat on an uprooted tree.

"You're seriously just going to sit this fight out?" the redhead asked.

He didn't know what to say. "This is Ryoga's fight," he finally replied, watching as his longtime rival fended off the demonic warrior's attacks. "Ouch."

"This isn't a fight," the redhead stated. "Well, it's not a fight in the sense you're used to."

The raven haired martial artist nodded. "The stakes are different, but that doesn't mean that I have to change my style," he stated.

"A fight's a fight," the redhead said with a smile.

* * * * *

The normally loud gun seemed unusually quiet compared to howling winds and the thunder of the storm.

Akuma had come to the island expecting nothing but some fun from the weak artificial humans, but to find such a treasure trove of fighters… well, that was unexpected. True, the girls had gone down surprisingly quick, and the long haired boy had too, but that was to be expected when a weapons master of his caliber entered the fray. Clearly the boy was relying on weapons to give himself some sort of psychological edge, though he ended up having one of those sharp edges buried in his own stomach.

He'd let the boy and the girls go for now. For now he had his hands full with the surprisingly resilient and durable young boy.

And then it was over.

Feeling the high from the quick, powerful fights, Akuma was distracted. Normally he could easily avoid getting shot as the guns, even silenced ones, were loud enough for him to pick up on. But with the raging storm and mud in his ears the proud warrior failed to register the sound of a rifle going off until he felt a sudden pain in his shoulder.

Spinning around he looked at the scrawny boy some twenty meters away.

Enraged that someone as pathetic as the gun-toting runt was shooting at him Akuma charged the boy, narrowly dodging the rain of bullets as the sloppy mud prevented him from getting the necessary traction to cover the ground swiftly and easily. In a flash he had knocked the gun out of the boy's hands. Grabbing hold of the scrawny wrists of the shooter, Akuma squeezed hard, crushing the boy's wrists.

His screams of pain delighted the murderer, sending another rush of pleasure through Akuma. A vicious kick to the boy's solar plexus bent the boy in half, planting the be-speckled boy's face in the mud. A vindictive axe kick connected with the boy's shoulder, breaking his left collar bone before dislocating the arm. Another axe kick, this time with his left leg, crashed down onto the other side of the boy's head, eliciting another scream of pain.

Reveling in the pain he was inflicting, Akuma grinned evilly as he flipped the boy over with his foot. Grabbing the mud coated hair of his victim he threw the boy against a concrete wall.

Painful grunts filled the air as Keitaro fought the overwhelming pain as he crashed against the unforgiving concrete. A powerful middle kick broke at least two ribs, throwing him back against the concrete. A right uppercut to the stomach doubled him over, then a knee to the face sent the back of his head crashing into the unforgiving wall. Right cross to the temple, left cross to the ribs, spinning backward right kick to the stomach, an overhead left, and then a series of rapid punches to the stomach and ribs, breaking several more ribs at least until finally the wall behind him broke.

Grinning maliciously, Akuma looked down at the swollen and bloody face of his victim. This was fun.

Another sharp pain ran through his shoulder, then a lancing pain filled his body as his muscles began to twitch and convulsed. Falling to the ground he fought the pain as best as he could, reaching for his shoulder and yanking out the anchoring for the taser.

A feral snarl escaped his lips as he looked up at the metal monstrosity. Grabbing a large chunk of concrete he heaved it at the machine, deflecting the rain of bullets and preventing the Vulcan cannon from locking onto him. Rushing ahead at the humanoid machine, he fired off a one-handed Hokodan, sending a ball of black flames at his newest attacker and disabling the cannon.

Injured from the long list of opponents he'd faced, Akuma knew that he needed to finish this newest opponent as soon as possible. Inside of the machine's range he hammered it with several thundering blows until finally he'd dented the die-cast metal.

Seeing that he wasn't getting very far, he decided on another tactic as he focused his attacks on the disabled Vulcan cannon and exposed circuits. Ripping into the machine he pulled off some of the machine's armor.

* * * * *

Su was panicking. She hadn't expected to find such a powerful opponent. She hadn't expected to see him tearing apart Keitaro. She didn't expect to have her newest and most powerful Mecha Tamachan (version 16) literally ripped apart by bare hands either.

Panicked and rattled, she began firing all her weapons as she tried to shake off her assailant.

* * * * *

Though he was unaccustomed to fighting against mecha and things of that sort (they gynoids had been different as they were basically artificial humans) the murderous warrior has surprised at the large arsenal that the machine appeared to have. Guns, bombs, lasers, a chainsaw, grenades, and even smoke bombs and teargas… it was almost as fighting some of Shadowloo's stupid cyborgs. Grabbing a grenade, he stuffed it inside the tear before kicking off of the machine. Hopefully that would do something.

* * * * *

Su was really panicking. Not only had all of her weapons been ineffective against the mysterious fighter, but he had somehow disabled her escape pod and stuffed a grenade under the thick armor. This was bad.

* * * * *

This is bad, Ranma though as he pulled himself to his feet. Somehow he'd managed to avoid being hit with stray gunfire, grenades, and other explosive weapons while crawling to his feet. Still, it had been the loud explosions that had woken him from his unexpected nap.

Though he didn't recognize the current version of Mecha Tamachan (version 16) he knew who his enemy was. Running hard he tackled a clearly surprised Akuma, nailing him with a series of rapid fire knees to the small of the warrior's back before sending him crashing into the mud.

As much as he wanted to just keep pounding on the temporarily prone warrior Ranma knew that he couldn't let his emotions get the best of him and throw him off his game plan. Springing to his feet he let his opponent get to his feet. Hell, he even let the guy wipe the mud out of his eyes.

Rolling his neck he let his head clear even as he took in his surroundings. Dark stains littered the area, surefire signs that someone had bleed there. Broken trees and walls decorated the area as well, telling him just how destructive the fights had been.

To his left Ryoga was slowly pulling himself out of the mud, though from his reaction it was clear that the bandana wearing martial artist wouldn't be getting up any time soon to help. A brace of senbon needles and Mousse's glasses suggested that the master of hidden weapons had been around, which probably meant that Ibuki had been there as well. Ranma just hoped that none of the blood that stained the mud was theirs.

A sudden blur told him that Akuma was on the move again, this time dashing in with a stiff uppercut. Despite his shaky legs and the urge to throw up, Ranma managed to parry before throwing a swift kick to the knee that sent his opponent down into the mud. Following up with a kick to stomach Ranma kicked off, giving himself more distance.

Ranma knew that he couldn't beat his opponent trading blows, even injured as he was he was far stronger than Ranma or Ryoga. No, he needed to by some time for Ryoga to get back into the fight or for someone from the Hinata Sou to come and back him up.

* * * * *

"They should be alright," Dr. Tofu stated as he looked at his bandaged patients. Though the room above them had fallen on them, both Juli and Juni were in good shape as they escaped with only light scrapes and mild concussions.

"Good," Tsuruko said with a concerned nod. "But what do we do about shelter? It'll take far too long to repair the damage, not to mention that we won't be able to do anything while it's raining."

"What about the missing survivors?" the busty brunette asked as she looked over at the handful of survivors.

As if they were summoned, five figures appeared in the doorway. Clearly two of them were injured and were being helped by the others.

"What happened?" Dr. Tofu exclaimed.

"I picked up a distress signal," Thirteen explained. "Ranma and I went to investigate."

"It… it was Akuma," the petite blond stated as Kanako helped her to one of the beds.

"The Demon?" Tsuruko said disbelievingly.

"I'm positive," Cammy stated.

Motoko's eyes bulged. "Ryoga and Keitaro went to help Ranma."

"That won't be enough," Cammy stated as she looked over at the still prone form of Chun-Li as Thirteen and Kanako set the still unconscious Chinese martial artist down gently. "He picked took me and Chun-Li out in a flash, and Ranma was nearly beat when we made the save."

A concerned, almost scared look appeared on Tsuruko's face even as Dr. Tofu focused on his newest patients.

"Take us to them," Dan said as he and Blanka rushed over to Thirteen.

* * * * *

_Kami, this guy's harder than Ryoga's skull_, Ranma mused as he grabbed hold of his opponent's wrist. Twisting he slammed Akuma into the battered remains of a building.

Even as he celebrated the nearly sickening sound of flesh on concrete Ranma couldn't help but wince as his earlier injuries began to nag at him.

Slipping on a triangle arm-bar he cinched it in. Unlike the one he'd tried earlier Ranma wasn't just matching up arm strength, he was using his entire body against the larger and more powerful fighter's arm strength.

But it was the other man's full strength that he faced as Akuma grabbed hold of his wrist and stood up.

_Crap!_

Down he went, crashing into the hard cement that moments ago he'd sent his opponent onto.

Reeling, Ranma considered releasing the hold when suddenly he found himself in the mud. Only the sound of air rushing out of his startled opponent's lungs told him what had happened, though the added weight of his familiar and oldest rival hinted at Ryoga's sudden insertion into the fight.

With one arm trapped by Ranma, Ryoga had a clear shot at Akuma's obviously injured ribs. But he didn't want to inflict pain - he wanted to end the fight. Winding up he unleashed a punishing barrage of punches to Akuma's temple.

Desperate and enraged, Akuma struggled as he was forced face first into the deep mud. Somehow he managed to turn around so that he was on his back. His face free of the mud he sunk his teeth into Ranma's thigh. Shaking off his attackers Akuma struggled to get to his feet only to be greeted with a thunderous punch to his head.

Limping, Ranma managed to get to his feet as Ryoga pummeled Akuma. Sliding in from the right as Ryoga worked the left, Ranma let loose with powerful punches. Though they lacked the speed of his earlier barrages, they still punished the larger man. The tell tale crack of breaking ribs rewarded his efforts, forcing Akuma to begin protecting his ribs as well as his head.

Battered but not beaten, Akuma leapt into the air and delivered a spinning kick that connected with Ryoga's head.

Fully expecting the move (he had been hit with it before, twice actually) Ranma ducked under the kick and managed to grab hold of Akuma's other leg. Pulling with all his might he slammed his opponent back into the mud.

Coughing up blood, a dazed Akuma simply lay there as Ryoga leapt into the air before crashing down hard, driving his knees into the already injured ribs.

Standing up, Ranma kept a firm hold of his opponent's legs before delivering a series of stomps to the man's stomach. Between Ryoga's punishing punches to Akuma's head and the equally cruel blows to the chest and stomach, the long time rivals didn't stop until they were completely spent.

Exhausted, the two young killers slumped over, sinking into the mud as knowing that they had been able to protect their loved ones.

* * * * *

A/N

I think I'll just leave things where they're at for now.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


	30. Chapter 30

Author's Notes –

Yes, Akuma kicked a lot of ass. While it was a life or death fight, the reason why Ranma didn't use the Yamasenken/Umisenken or Hiryu Shoten Ha is simple. Though he knows those techniques, Ranma didn't get a chance to actually use them. True, he did let Akuma up only to take him down again, but because he's not familiar with those techniques he didn't resort to using them. Not to mention that the Umisenken is primarily designed to defeat the Yamasenken. As for the Hiryu Shoten Ha, Ranma doesn't know Akuma so he really can't piss him off. Oh, he tried – biting his hand, a few low blows even, but he couldn't get Akuma riled up and decided to not waste his time shouting out taunts. Despite Akuma's killer intent he wasn't fighting with a hot battle aura.

As to why Ryoga and Ranma didn't use any lethal attacks or even disabling attacks like punches to the throat or even low blows (hell, Mousse managed to get one in) is that even though they knew they were in a life or death fight, they've been conditioned to fight relatively fair and clean (Ranma did get mud in Akuma's eyes though). Yes, they tried to disable Akuma – trying to break his arm, break his ribs, etc., but Akuma managed to block their attempts.

Besides, Ranma and Ryoga continued to pound on a defenseless and unconscious opponent – that's not something you'd see them do regularly.

In truth, most of the fight scene came to me as I watched Ninja Scroll.

* * * * *

The cold, hard rain had finally stopped, though in all honesty Ranma really didn't know how long ago that had been. All that mattered was that there was one warm body in the mud and one that was rapidly cooling even as it sank into the mud. But where there other bodies around? Even though he'd been nearly knocked out, Ranma could recall hearing other fighters as they fought the raging demon of a man.

Dragging himself out of the mud with his one good arm, Ranma actually wished there was some rain to wash away the liquefied dirt and blood on his hands, face and, well, everywhere. It was kind of hard to make out anything other than mud, the occasional rock or boulder, some trees, and the remains of some buildings. Somewhere in the distance there was a trail of thick, black smoke rising up to the cloudy sky.

It was a nearly superhuman feat for the exhausted and battered martial artist to pull himself onto his feet. Given the poor footing it was amazing that Ranma had made it several paces before he stumbled over to a tree.

The haunting silence was maddening to the martial artist – it was as though everything had died.

Spotting a leg draped over the remains of a wall, Ranma let out an anguished and pain filled grunt as he pushed off of the tree. He made it several steps before he fell to the ground. Dragging himself towards the wall the pigtailed boy tried to place it. It definitely wasn't Blanka; Dan wore a pinkish/violet gi – Keitaro! Keitaro had been wearing jeans the last time he'd seen him.

What the hell was Keitaro doing here? He's not a martial artist – he's not even a fighter!

Urged on, Ranma pulled himself onto his knees and then to his feet. Two more steps rewarded him with the faint sound of breathing, though he wasn't sure what to make of the sound of heavy, labored breathing. Yes, Keitaro was alive, but it seemed that he was just barely holding on.

He wasn't sure where the blood was coming from as Keitaro's face was a swollen mess even as his head lay in a pool of blood stained mud. From the angle that Keitaro's arms were in it was clear that they were broken and his scrawny wrists were completely mangled.

Ranma nearly threw up.

Fighting to retain his lunch he took another step forward, falling to his knees just a step away from the ronin turned dorm manager.

"Keitaro!" he screamed as he tried to lift Keitaro's head off the ground.

"R-Ran-ma," Keitaro gasped weakly, blood flying from his lips with each syllable. The dark liquid seemed to ooze out of the corners of the fallen man's mouth.

"Hang on Keitaro," the pigtailed martial artist said, trying to encourage the injured man. Scanning the welts and bumps on Keitaro's chest Ranma was sure that the scrawny man had several broken ribs. One of them must have punctured his lung. Gulping, Ranma knew that Keitaro was essentially drowning on his own blood. "You'll be alright," he lied.

A weak smile formed on Keitaro's lips. "Y-you're a h-horrible liar," the injured man barely managed to say.

"Save your energy," Ranma pleaded.

"P-promise me…" more blood flew from Keitaro's mouth as he fought through the pain of every little breath even as he tried to fill his lungs with the air necessary to complete his words. "T-take care of Ti-na and… Na-ru…"

Hot streams ran down Ranma' cheeks as he nodded. He just didn't have the energy to fight back the tears. "I promise."

* * * * *

Dan and Blanka ran hard. Though both were no strangers to hard work and training, neither could recall ever having run so hard before. It was a mad sprint over three kilometers that made their lungs ache in protest as they pushed their bodies hard. Behind them Kanako, Motoko, and Tsuruko trailed behind.

Though the two Street Fighters didn't know Akuma personally (then again, who did?) they both had fought against the demonic fighter before. Even within the confines of the tournament Akuma had been utterly vicious and merciless. Having fought against both Chun-Li and Cammy before they knew just how strong the two women were as well, but to see them injured as they were both Dan and Blanka knew that Akuma was on a totally different level then anything they'd seen of him during the Street Fighter Tournament.

The sight of two long haired girls… wait, one of them was Mousse… and he was bleeding.

Running past the pair, Dan and Blanka decided to let the women take care of the injured pair.

Thick, black smoke came from somewhere just west of where they were headed, nearly prompting Dan to stop. Glancing over at Blanka he nodded. The green skinned beast of a man quickly set off to investigate the source of the smoke.

Clearing a small hill Dan could tell that a terrible fight had taken place as trees were uprooted, some even broken in half, and the remains of walls lay crumbled and scattered through the clearing. The brown mud and little light that managed to penetrate the thick storm clouds made it all the harder for them to spot anything other than the walls and trees.

Catching a slight flicker of movement Dan rushed ahead, quickly followed by the swordswoman.

Raven hair coated with liberal amount of mud stood out, clearly marking the exhausted martial artist.

"Ranma!" Dan shouted as he came to a skidding halt.

"Saotome!" Tsuruko exclaimed. "Urashima!"

"Where's Ryoga?" the gi wearing man asked, clearly concerned about his cousin.

"Where's Akuma?" the swordswoman asked as she slowly crouched and took in the swollen visage of the bruised and battered dorm manager.

Tilting his head towards his unconscious rival and he now dead Akuma, Ranma sighed. "He's dead."

* * * * *

The smell of charred flesh and dried blood tainted the smoldering remains of the mecha. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened to the poor girl that had once piloted the mecha. Ripping open the hatch Blanka was intent on giving the girl a proper burial. Her remaining friends would probably want to see her off as well.

* * * * *

Had Thirteen been human she would have sighed. Fortunately for her she wasn't human, no, it was the survivors who were fortunate that she wasn't human as the gynoid had played a pivotal role in assisting Dr. Tofu in treating the many injuries that the survivors at the Hinata Sou had racked up over the course of the day.

First it had been Chun-Li and her terrible head injury – the result of being slammed headfirst into a tree and then being flung around like a rag doll. It had appeared to be worse than it really was, though concussions were never a laughing matter. She'd need a week of steady rest, dim lighting and lots of water as well as constant supervision, even then both the gynoid and Dr. Tofu weren't sure if there would be long-term effects of the injury or not.

Cammy had a mild concussion, and she hadn't had to be introduced to a tree forcibly either. And then there was Ibuki who had also suffered a concussion.

The most serious injury had to be Mousse. Somehow the weapon master had been stabbed with his own katar. Though his broken wrist was pretty bad as well. The Chinese Amazon wouldn't be using that arm for much for at least a few months.

Speaking of not being able to use their hands, Ranma had also suffered a broken and dislocated arm, a concussion, three bruised ribs and six broken ribs as well.

And then there was Ryoga. Somehow the bandana wearing fighter had exhausted his ki reserves while punching out Akuma. Then there was the broken hand (from punching Akuma), the bruised ribs, and a mild concussion.

But for all their injuries the fighters had prevailed, well, they had survived - which was more than could be said of two of the former residents of the Hinata Sou. Looking out of the remains of one of the balconies on the southern wing, the gynoid noted the reddish glow that reflected off the dark clouds overhead as the large funeral pyre illuminated the night. Two of the former residents lay at the center of the giant fire as the few uninjured survivors paid their last respects to Keitaro Urashima and Kaolla Su. Both had been young and vibrant individuals, both had fought for their friends, and both had paid the ultimate price.

Behind her the rest of the injured survivors watched, well, those that were conscious as some had to be sedated heavily.

If she were human she would have shed a tear. As it was, Thirteen knew that she might be the key to the remaining residents being able to stay at the Hinata Sou. With the rest of the injured survivors resting peacefully, the gynoid set off to complete her last official order.

* * * * *

The warm summer sun shone down on the island as it finally chased away the lingering storm clouds. Lush green field below was full of various vegetables and the orchards full of young trees promising a future harvest.

Sighing contently Ranma looked down at the place that he now called home.

"I can't believe it's been a year," his companion sighed.

"Yeah, look at what we've done with the place," the now pony tailed martial artist stated. "Keitaro and Su would be proud."

The fanged youth nodded. "Most of the apple or apricot trees won't bear fruit this year, but the cherries should be good."

"And the rice paddies should provide a nice harvest as well," a third voice added.

"Hey Mousse," Ranma greeted his former rival, "you guys done already?"

"Yep, we finished putting up another fence to keep the animals out of the fields. We didn't plan on doing too much work today," the curvy kunoichi stated. "Today's supposed to be a big day – aren't you excited?"

Ranma shrugged, prompting his longtime rival to playfully slug him in the arm.

"You're about to become a father and you're not excited?" Ibuki asked.

"Just because I'm going to be a dad before either of you two," Ranma teased as he smiled at his former rivals, "doesn't mean I'm going to make a big deal of it. I mean, how many times do I have to prove that I'm a man amongst men?"

"If you were a man amongst men you'd have all both of your lovers pregnant," Mousse teased.

"Hey, you try having more than one woman clamoring for you," Ranma shot back, feigning indignation.

"I'm perfectly happy with one," the master of hidden weapons replied.

"I've got my hands full with two," Ryoga stated, holding his hands up.

"But neither of them is pregnant," Ranma pointed out.

"It's not for a lack of trying," the bandana wearing man smirked.

"Maybe you should try putting it in the right hole," Ibuki teased, making Ryoga turn a deeper shade of red.

"Ranma!" an urgent cry filled the air and stopping the teasing.

Though all four of the fighters recognized the voice they each turned towards the busty blond. It'd been a year since Keitaro's death, but neither Naru nor Tina had taken on new lovers yet. Haunted by his sudden death, and the fact that the rest of the available males had their hands full with other female survivors, neither had wanted to get emotionally (or physically) involved with anyone else.

Waving at the blond, Ranma was the first to pick up on the urgent feeling that the blond emitted even though she was nearly fifty meters away. Then again, perhaps he had been expecting something like this as he considered the fact that Chun-Li was expected to deliver him his first child.

Without waiting for her to shout out the confirmation Ranma set off, rushing towards the Hinata Sou and leaving his friends and companions behind. In a flash he was past Tina, not even stopping for directions (that was something Ryoga would do) as he knew where the clinic and doctor's office were.

Stepping inside of the double doors he waited for the doors to lock and the air purification system to kick in, eliminating any and all foreign contaminants such as the mutated virus from him. The agonizingly long ninety seconds would be enough time for the others to reach the door, but then they would also have to endure the same process.

"Twenty seconds," Thirteen's familiar voice announced. "Congratulations Ranma."

As much as he liked talking to the gynoid turned main computer, Ranma was in no mood for idol chit chat. The familiar click of the doors opening was a green light for him to rush into the Hinata Sou and up to the clinic on the third floor.

Despite his blazing speed Ranma found that he was too late. Having to endure a second purifying before being allowed into the clinic Ranma clinched his teeth as he pushed the door open.

"A little late," Dr. Tofu teased. Even with a doctor's mask on it was clear that the man was smiling. "You've a healthy boy."

Stepping out of Ranma's way the doctor revealed the still wet bundle of joy that was currently nuzzling up to his mother's breast.

Coated in sweat, the proud mother glowed with pride. Ranma swore that she never looked more beautiful.

Walking over to his lover and the mother of his first child (Cammy was pregnant with his second child) the raven haired martial artist smiled. The future never looked so bright.

Fin.

* * * * *

A/N

Yes, that's the end of Ranma is Legend. I hope you all enjoyed it.

There was a time when I seriously considered having Ranma and crew go to either Russia or Alaska to escape the virus (as it doesn't do well in the cold) but I figured that they'd found a home, they just had to deal with some major challenges. Plus having Ranma run into Zangief would have been fun.

Yes, Darkseeker Ryu is still around, and so are Darkseeker Seta, Sarah, Shinobu, Haruka, and Mei, but they're not an issue.

This fic started with the premise of Ranma and company dealing with the virus and trying to survive. Then it became about the cast maturing and accepting the world and changing to meet the new world. The epilogue was about them finally moving towards their future. Yes, not everyone made it to the future, and not everyone is going to be completely happy with their lot in life, but hey, everyone knows that they could be dealing with worse.

Please Read and Review.

Dreamingfox


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